Heaven's Not Enough
by spirithorse
Summary: When Yami's life is brought to an end sooner than he would have liked, he risks it all to go back for a chance at revenge. But, is it really revenge anymore? Based on All Dogs Go to Heaven. YYxY, BxR. Warning: Character Death.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello, just a few things before you all get started. First, as a warning to all the readers, this is my first fanfiction. So be warned that the characters might drop in and out of character. Second, as seen in the summary, there will be character death and mentions of blood. Warnings will be posted before any of these events occur. Third, because of the setting of the movie, All Dogs go to Heaven, I turned Domino into an almost New Orleans type of city, which is the city in the movie. If it helps, just think of the side of Domino across the river as a better form of the Satelite from 5d's.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, All Dogs Go to Heaven or the song, Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Anything in between that you don't recognize, that's mine

**Heaven's Not Enough**

**Chapter One**

* * *

The darkness pressed in all around, piling on top of him like the dirt that rested above and below him. He shifted, wincing as the top of his head brushed against the roof of the tunnel, his eyes focused on the space before him, despite the fact that he could not have seen his hand in front of his face. Instead, he concentrated, waiting for the faint tapping sound.

There! He turned his head, flinching as dirt trickled down his neck. How much longer would this tunnel last? And, the more pertinent question, how long did he have until he was missed? He shifted forward a bit, one hand groping out to replace his lost vision. The tapping continued, the small, faint sounding bringing a smile to his face. "Yes, just a little more to your left."

The smile left his face in the next instant as the tapping shifted back, _away_ from him. He dropped his head into the crook of his elbow, muffling the groan that broke from his throat. Of all the people, why him? The faint sound of two voices arguing brought his head back up. He wanted to get out of here; he had no time for this. "No, your other left!"

"Told you." The whisper echoed back to him.

"Shut up, Bakura." The voice and the light appeared at the same time, the latter flickering out quickly. He nearly screamed in frustration. After what seemed like years trapped in this darkness, he wanted out. He would settle for seeing light again for the time being. The light continued to flicker, its erratic flashes followed by muttering as the person handling it tried to tame it. "Can't see a thing, and the torch is nearly dead."

"We could use this." The tone alone made him shuffle back a few inches. His instincts saved him from getting his eyebrows scorched off as a welding torch flickered to life.

"Watch it! Are you trying to kill me?!" His voice, and the yelp from one of the two people trying to rescue him -although he wasn't as sure of that now- caused the welding torch to be shut off. He resorted to glaring into the darkness until a voice with a British accent whispered back, "Sorry."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Just get me out of here Ryou, before the tunnel collapses."

There was shuffling from the other side as the two positioned themselves, trying to dig up another source of light. He shifted forward himself, confident that Bakura would have something else to see by. His charitable thoughts were stopped as his forehead bumped against a hard, metal object. "Ow! What was that?"

"I don't know. But…" more movement from the other side, then Ryou's face appeared, his white hair pressed flat by an old miner's hat, the light at the front shining directly in his eyes.

"There he is!" Bakura joined Ryou in looking in on him, an annoying smile plastered across his face. "You're a sight for sore eyes, Yami."

Yami growled at the two of them before staring at the object that he had run into. He nearly screamed in frustration at the pipe that ran through the middle where the two tunnels connected. He looked up and down the exposed surface, glaring at the peeling paint in the vain hope that the pipe would figure out that going away would be a good thing. Unfortunately, it remained stubbornly in place.

"…Well, I could always use this!" Yami jolted back into the present in time to see Bakura pull what looked like a shrunken jackhammer out of his bag. Yami backed away slowly, not liking the maniacal look that came over the russet eyes. He was now regretting allowing Ryou to bring Bakura along on this rescue mission. Sure he wanted to get out of this place; but he wanted to live more.

He forcibly held back the stutter in his voice as he tried to stall. "Hey, I think that's a water main."

Bakura scoffed, adjusting his hold on the tool. "Nah, water mains are green. This," he tapped the pipe making Yami and Ryou flinch backwards, "is red."

Yami's heart plummeted as Ryou edged backward. Obviously his long time friend was not going to argue for his sake. Yami turned his attention back to Bakura, the enclosed space and the risk to his life making him snap, "You're color blind!"

"It would be in your best interest not to insult the one who is springing you from jail, Pharaoh." Bakura smirked at the defeated look that flashed across Yami's crimson eyes for a moment. He shrugged, flinging a glance back at Ryou as he tapped the pipe again. "Besides, the paint is so worn off that you can't tell. But it was green."

Yami stared at the flakes of paint that still remained on his side of the tunnel, unable to take his eyes off them as Bakura positioned the tool at the top of the pipe. He gaze flicked up to Bakura once as he muttered, "It's red."

"What?" The rest of Bakura's reply was drowned out by the loud sound of the tool as it started up, followed by the rush of water.

The air was forced from Yami's lungs as water rushed into the tunnel. He was pushed forward by the force, wincing as his leg caught on something before the water pushed him all the way through. He belatedly started swimming with the current, hoping that it led to where his two friends had tunneled in, because he needed air soon.

An eternity passed in under a minute. Yami broke to the surface, scrambling frantically out of the hole in the ground and sucking in a lungful of air. He was pushed unceremoniously to the side as Ryou flopped out, looking like a drowned rat. Bakura heaved himself out soon afterwards. The three unanimously decided to lie on the ground and gasp for air, minds running back over the almost comical situation. Yami was certain it would become one of those things they would laugh at in time. Many years from now.

He was started from his thoughts by a punch to his shoulder, the sudden pain making him sit up with a growl. Bakura glared at him, the man already having stood up. When Yami leveled a glare at him, he simply replied, "You owe me some new tools."

Yami pulled himself to his feet, stumbling for a few steps before managing to settle into a normal walk. Ryou fell in by his side, glancing up at Bakura as the man walked ahead of them, muttering under his breath at the loss of his precious equipment. Yami elbowed Ryou in the side, catching his attention. "I hope that you brought my clothes. It would be pretty conspicuous to be wandering around in this."

He gestured at the bright orange prison suit, watching Ryou's face. "Tell me you didn't have them in that tunnel."

"Oh, no." Ryou shook his head, brining himself out of whatever daze he was in and shaking clods of mud out of his hair. Like Bakura, his hair was white; although now it was an odd washed out brown because of the mud. He waved vaguely at the bushes as they walked past. "We hid them near the casino, because we knew you would want to pay a visit there as soon as you were out."

"What's all this 'we' stuff, Ryou?" Bakura had turned around, carefully walking backwards. "I only agreed to bust him out of prison, no more. You two have fun. I'll be at the house."

He jogged off, leaving a mystified Ryou behind. Yami snorted, turning so he was heading in the direction of the swamps just on the outside of town. Thankfully, the Domino jail had been placed nearby, probably because the good folks of Domino didn't want escapees running for the town. It was good for him, though, closer to the place he called home and the man he wanted to see.

When he realized that Ryou wasn't behind him, Yami turned his head to call over his shoulder, "The Thief is excited about the festival. Plenty of tourists to rob, which means for fun for him. Apparently, this was just a warm up."

Ryou gave a shrug that Yami couldn't read, quickly catching up and falling back into step. There was silence between the two teens as they walked on, the road becoming more familiar with each step. Soon, signs because to litter the trees, arrows pointing the way down a rickety dock to a large steamboat, remade into a casino.

Yami took the chance to duck into the greenery before the solid land ended, following Ryou's instructs to the stash of clothes. Thankful to wear anything other than the hated orange, Yami pulled on the black jeans and the sleeveless shirt of the same color, nearly falling over when he tried to balance on one leg to slip his boots on. Finally done, he emerged from the undergrowth, nodding at Ryou. "Thanks for getting me out of there."

"It was nothing." Ryou smiled at him with a shrug. "What are friends for?"

The two stepped onto the long dock, the rotting wood creaking ominously under their feet. A wince was shared before they made their way to the boat, carefully moving over the wooden boards. Ryou even had to jump, crashing into Yami, to avoid a large gap that had formed when his friend had tramped across the wood before him. Amazingly, they made it to the boat in one piece, Ryou walking into the shadows of the door and leaving Yami to stare at what had once been his pride and joy.

Flecks of white paint were hidden by rust, something that had been hidden before. The entryway lacked the shine that it had once had. And even the name of the once proud ship, shared by the casino itself, _Baroness_, was nearly unreadable.

Yami placed a hand on the side of the boat, sighing unhappily. This is what happened when he left his business partner alone, everything went downhill. He had once been proud to attach his name to this place, but now… Yami pushed his blonde bangs out of his face, his hand continuing to run through his hair, traveling through the black strands that rose into spikes, tipped with red. "What happened to you, girl?"

Determination rushed through him as he turned to stride into the establishment. He would find out who had done this to his pride and joy. It was time to talk to his business partner, Noa, and straighten out this whole thing.

Ryou was waiting for him, smirking at something that his body blocked. Yami peered around him, his smaller stature making it hard to see. His eyes widened at the sight before him. He must have made a sound because Ryou tilted his head to look at him. "Well, at least the customers still like you."

On a small pedestal, tucked away in a corner, was a crown; his crown. He had jokingly worn it on the first day that the casino had opened, mostly to annoy Noa. Yami's habit of carrying himself in an aloof and regal manner, along with his Egyptian heritage, had earned him the nickname of Pharaoh among his friends, which had later spread to his customers. To the annoyance of Noa, the nickname had stuck around, extending to a few humorous costume parties where Yami had shown up in the closest he could get to ancient Egyptian clothing to play the part of the Pharaoh.

Carefully, like he was afraid it would shatter, Yami lifted the plastic crown off it's stand, staring at the eye that was in the center of the piece. It was cheap plastic painted to look like gold. He ran his fingers over the crown as he stared at the flowers that had surrounded the ornament. The tips of his fingers trailed off the swept back sides, tapping on the very ends of the crown before he settled it on his head, flicking a few of his more annoying bangs back to rest behind the plastic. The move earned a smile from Ryou, the white haired man turning to gesture toward the light at the end of the hallway. "Shall we greet your people, my Pharaoh?"

Yami relaxed for a moment before shrugging on the persona that was associated with the crown, a smirk forming on his lips. "Yes."

He strode out in front of Ryou, blinking in confusion as the man rushed in front of him. A wink from the man before his disappeared covered all that Yami needed to know. He was going to return with a grand entrance, which suited him just fine.

A wave from his friend kept him back as he peered into the room. Yami shifted uncomfortably, leaning backward to look around the other side of the curtain that hid him from the people in the room. His eyes widened for a moment before narrowing in disgust. This is what happened when he was gone?

He hardly recognized the place he had helped found. In his mind, it had always been brightly light and lavishly decorated, the ballroom of the steamboat maintained to look as it had in the glory days of the old boat. He remembered a lush red carpet with white and gold walls, the few original mirrors in the room reconfigured to direct the light from the two chandeliers more efficiently.

Now the carpet was dusty and the paint was peeling from the walls. Nearly all the mirrors were gone, along with one of the chandeliers, the last one hanging awkwardly from the ceiling. Even the arrangement of the floor had changed. The slot machines had been pushed back into a corner, one that the light didn't reach. Only the card tables remained, accompanied by set ups for some games, most that Yami didn't recognize.

The room, while crowded to a capacity that he had never seen before, was gloomy; not the usually talkative group. They drifted from one place to another, some even shuffling into the shadowed side of the room where the bar was; emerging with a glass clasped in their hands. A few glanced longingly at the exit before flinching and going back to their games.

Yami felt his hands clench, nails digging into his palms. The Baroness was supposed to be an escape from the drag of daily life in Domino, a place to forget the troubles of life; mostly because the customers didn't want those same troubles to follow them there. But that had changed completely. Now it seemed like people were as eager to leave as they had been to come there.

A faint cough from Ryou drew his attention back to his friend. The white haired man, nodded to him before stepping into the room. Yami leaned slightly back, regaining his view of the room, watching as the customers stopped their activity. Even the band, which he had neither noticed nor heard, ceased to play as Ryou stood at the top of the ramp that led down into the room.

Yami dropped his head into his hands as his friend froze up. Ryou was good in nearly any situation, but never put him in front of a crowd. He knew that Ryou was doing this for him, because it was what he deserved, it was what they both wanted to get back at Noa for letting the Baroness fall into this condition. But it was equally as humiliating to have Ryou freeze up when confronted with a crowd.

His impatience won out over his caution listening to Ryou stammer over his words. Yami rolled his eyes and roughly pulled the curtain that hid him from sight, his smirk returning to his face as the eyes of everyone in the room turned to look at him. He met the amazed stares, eyes flicking up to catch the sight of Weevil emerging from the hallway that led to Noa's office. His eyes narrowed for a moment as he stared at the bespectacled man, watching as Weevil paused before scurrying off into the crowd. Well, now Noa would know he was back.

He gave himself a mental shake before spreading his arms and shouting to the crowd, "Your Pharaoh has returned!"

Yami expected a smattering of nervous cheers and clapping, after all he had been in jail for the past year and a half. Or had it been two years? And, it had been on questionable charges. Even had had not figured out the true nature of his supposed crime. He did not expect the loud cheer that shook the whole room, making him look nervously at the chandelier that clung to the ceiling, fearing that it might fall down on them.

When the cheers had finally died down, he walked down into the room, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with those he knew personally. Yami jumped as some man pushed his way through the crowd, the ragged hat sitting crookedly on his head. The man peered at Yami, tipping his head from side to side, before blurting out, "Ain't you supposed to be on death row?"

Everyone froze at the voice, all eyes turning to see how Yami would react. Yami took a step back, his red eyes darkening in anger. Movement from the far side of the room distracted him from the fury that he was prepared to direct at the man. Weevil was running through the shadows, heading for Noa's office. Yami sneered before glancing back at the man.

Carefully schooling his face back into calm, he extracted himself form the crowd and strode confidently toward the shadowy corridor that led to the two offices that he and his business partner shared. The only concession to his suppressed anger was the shot he fired back over his shoulder. "No, I'm not supposed to be on death row."

The room was filled with the sound of voices kept at a whisper as the customers moved back to their games, nearly all of them pausing to glare at the man who broke the atmosphere. Yami threw a look back over his shoulder, not surprised to see the worried brown eyes of Ryou just over his right shoulder. The glare he still had on his face silenced any questions that Ryou had. The British teen was a good friend, but there were times when he simply did not want to be bothered.

"I don't think anyone believes that anyway." Yami slowed his fast pace at the soft sound of Ryou's voice. At the bemused look that replaced the glare, Ryou smiled. "You may act like it, but everybody knows that you don't have the guts to do anything that would put you on death row. Shame though, Bakura would have liked the reputation that would have come with that."

That earned a chuckle out of Yami. He gave his friend and light shove before he entered the darker corridor, intent on the door at the end. He never noticed that, when Ryou went to catch himself on the wall, it shifted under his hands and sent the white haired teen tumbling into the passage behind the panel before it slammed shut again.

* * *

"I don't understand. I thought we set him up for good." Noa leaned on his hands as he watched Weevil pace the floor in front of his desk, his patience wearing thin quickly. "I mean, we bribed all the right people, even the cops. We almost got him on death row, boss. We were so close to-"

"Weevil." The man stopped his rant to turn and look at his boss, shivering at the greedy look in the dark blue eyes. Noa tapped one finger on his desk in time to his words. "I don't want to share half of this business with my partner, Atemu. We'll have to try something different."

"Do you want me to get the pliers, boss?"

Noa callously threw a pencil at his lackey, turning his chair around. "No, no. If there is anything that my brother, Seto, taught me before he stole what was mine; it was this. Friends must be handled in the friendly, and business-like, way."

"Um…boss?"

Noa rolled his eyes and rested a hand over his eyes. "Go and invite him to my office, Weevil. It has been too long since we have seen our friend."

"But boss-"

"Now!" The shout sent the little man scurrying to the door, opening it just as Yami had his hand raised to knock. From his desk, Noa could see the glares the two sent at each other as Weevil stepped out of the office to allow Yami in. He shifted his chair so that he could see his partner, putting on a surprised face. "Atemu Seti, I never expected to see you here again!"

It was a small victory to have Yami wince at his given name, the only name that Noa would ever call him; he didn't hold with nicknames. He was that much like his older brother in that aspect. The euphoria of besting his partner vanished quickly as Yami laughed, sauntering over to lean against the polished wooden desk. "You've grown since I last saw you, kid."

He had to grip the edge of his desk to keep from attacking his partner now. Is that all Yami saw him as, a kid? He was no kid! He was the one who kept the Baroness running, who kept them making profits. He was the one who had basically run all the other casinos on this side of town out of business through legal or illegal means. And what had Yami done the entire time? He had talked to the customers, mingled with them and brought himself down to their level. He had even let him humiliate him every once and a while.

Before he could come up with a retort, Yami had ambled over to one of the couches that he kept in the office, flopping down on it to stare at the ceiling. Noa found himself following Yami's gaze around the opulent office; down the stern white walls to the lush red floor. The aqua haired teen purposefully avoided his partner's stern look, focusing instead on his desk. A long sigh brought him up from his momentary contemplation of the wood grain, his hand gripping the edge of the desk again as he spotted the hated crown perched on Yami's head.

"This place is alright. Needs a good cleaning and a coat of paint, but alright. You've done a good job keeping her running while I've been gone." Noa noticed Yami said nothing about where he had gone, instead choosing to remain staring at the ceiling. Once again, his partner managed to easily break his bubble of euphoria. "But the customers aren't happy."

Noa shrugged. "Gamblers are never happy. They complain that the games are too easy, they're rigged, the casino wasn't as good as it used to be. Improvements won't help their mentality. We offer them a service and, if they don't like our establishment, then they can leave."

Yami chuckled, rolling his head to look at Noa. "You sound like Seto when you say that."

Noa ground his teeth together at the mention of his older brother. He had done everything he could to distance himself from his blood relation, even to the point of slipping to the shady side of business just to differentiate between the two of them. It was compulsive now to try and be anything but what Seto was.

"But you're right." Yami had roll back into a sitting position, staring at the door as he thought. "What we need now is to fix up this place, get it back to what it was like before. Maybe throw in some dancing girls? What do you think?"

Noa kept his eyes away from the crimson gaze, letting it fall on his shoulder as he stood up to lean on his desk. "I think…I think you should leave."

"What?!"

"You're a wanted man now, Atemu. It would be dangerous for us both. The first place they will look for you is here." A half formed plan had begun to spin itself around in his mind. Noa smiled to himself, turning around to see the dazed expression on Yami's face.

"I was framed."

"I know that, you know that. Half our customers know that. But the cops, they're not too sure." Noa smiled, pretending to think something over before snapping. "I'll do you a favor, to repay you for getting me into this place. I'll set you up somewhere they don't know you, get you back onto your feet. After all, two casinos making twice as much money. We could be rich."

He could see Yami wasn't quite buying it, one eyebrow conveying his skepticism perfectly without words. Noa held back a sigh, too used to Yami's stubbornness to let it get under his skin. "Half of this place is yours, right? So, it'll be easier than starting from scratch. What do you say?"

"Half of all of the prizes."

Noa beamed. "Any you want."

"Deal." They shook on it, Noa's hand snaking up to wrap around Yami's shoulders as he steered the shorter man back into the crowd in the main room. He noticed that all the customers perked up at the reappearance of Yami, the loyalty making his stomach roll. What comforted him was that Yami's white haired sycophant was nowhere in sight. Perfect.

"Listen up!" The crowd quieted down, making a wide circle around the two. "It pains me to announce that my partner, Atemu, wishes to strike out on his own. So, tonight we celebrate his return and departure. We'll see you at the festival!"

Cheers rose up again, and Noa let himself bask in them, allowing the fantasy that they were all for him. But they never would be. People didn't cheer for men like him. They cheered for men like Seto and Yami.

* * *

Ryou slumped against the wall that had trapped him in this passage. He recognized it for what it was; they had used a system like this for the cashiers, so the money could travel around the casino without being stolen. There were two problems with his theory. The cashiers were on the opposite side of the room, and the passage was one that he had never seen before. It led to a different part of the aged steamboat, one that he thought had been deemed unsafe for any people to enter.

He pressed his head against the cool metal, hearing vague sounds from the other room. He let his eyes slide shut, hoping that someone would notice that he was gone. Yami would. As soon as Yami was done with Noa, he would find him. But Ryou wanted to get out of this creepy place sooner than that. Noa and Yami could verbally spar for hours.

The sound of footsteps shook him from his daze. Ryou lifted his head from the wall, realizing the danger he was in. Noa had never bothered to hide the hatred for the white haired man, feeling that he was too weak to be hanging around the likes of Yami. He curled himself close to the wall, staring at the circle of light that appeared on the wall opposite of him. If whoever was coming turned the corner, than he was dead.

To his relief, they stopped, conferring amongst themselves. Ryou relaxed, daring to lean out to hear what they were saying. He picked out two voices, recognizing them as Keith and Kemo, two thugs who frequently worked in Noa's employ.

"Did you do it?"

"Yes, I did it." Keith was agitated, the shadow he cast on the wall rubbing as his wrist. "But why do I have to care for that little monster. He's getting worse by the day, you know."

Kemo laughed. "He should be, he's been letting too many of those customers win. Noa will toss him back out into the street, or worse."

"Oh, he knows that." Ryou could just imagine Keith's smile at this point. "He says that he can do better."

He held his breath as he waited for the conversation to go on, but exhaled softly as a third shadow joined the two on the walls. He shrunk back as he recognized Weevil, fighting back the urge to growl. Maybe he had spent too much time around Bakura lately. Or it could be the way the nasally voice set his teeth on edge.

"Come on, you two have a job to do."

"The little brat was just fed. What else does Noa want?" Keith's shadow crossed its arms and glared down at Weevil.

"The boss wants you to get rid of Yami."

Ryou felt cold as the words sunk in, slumping against the wall as missing the departure of the three shadows. His mind worked at a sluggish pace, trying to find the meaning of those words. He always knew that Yami had been framed, but never by who. He had never suspected Noa, one because it was something that Seto would have done and two because he never thought the kid had that much backbone.

He turned and threw himself back at the panel that trapped him here. "Yami! Yami!"

It was hopeless; no one could hear him in the room. Ryou shoved himself away from the wall, stepping out into the passage. He looked up toward the ceiling; he could get out if he found his way to the deck. Mentally, he figured out his position in the boat before sprinting off down the passage, his mind whirling around what he had found out, his feet pounding in rhythm to his thoughts.

They're gonna kill Yami. They're gonna kill Yami.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs Go to Heaven, or the song Heaven's Not Enough. They all belong to their respective owners. All the stuff in between; that's mine.

**Warning:** Mentions of alcohol, drunken behavior and character death.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Yami had lost track of how many beers he had had. He glared at the bottom of his latest empty cup, like he was daring it to continue to act like there was nothing left to drink. Disappointed that it continued to be stubborn, Yami glanced over to where the festival was going full swing. Floats drifted down the streets of Domino, the people on top throwing colored beads from the top. He absentmindedly fingered his own string of beads around his neck, having caught them while he was sober.

Glumly, he turned back to his cup before shooting a glare at Weevil, who was happily munching on the miniature sandwiches. He was about to get up and get himself some more to drink when Noa shoved him down with one hand, the other held behind his back with a smile on his face. Somewhere in Yami's mind, a thought sluggishly made itself known. A smile did not suit Noa well; it looked too much like he was planning something.

"In order to commemorate the new start of my partner, I present to him this lucky golden watch." The article in question was dropped around his neck and the beads just as quickly removed. Yami pouted -although he would never admit to doing so- as Noa tossed the beads around his own neck. His business partner gestured at the watch that dangled around Yami's neck. "You get the watch and crown, I get the beads."

The crown? One hand reached up to touch the plastic, an odd smile on Yami's face. He had totally forgotten that he was wearing it. And, of course, no one had commented because many of the people following the parade were in crazy costumes. Yami lowered his hand and shrugged in agreement before looking down at the watch.

It was a fob watch, the kind that a person would have to wind up everyday. But Noa obviously meant for him to wear it around his neck, because it was attached to a thin chain. He opened it, not surprised to see a lack of any engraving, actually getting a gift for someone was about a personal as Noa got. He shut the watch and settled it to a more comfortable position around his neck. "Okay, but I think I got the better deal."

Noa laughed and let Yami get up. The tri-colored haired man stumbled, blaming the ground for its unevenness instead of his own status. Luckily, some of Noa's men were there to catch him. He smiled up at him, intending to walk away on his own when they began to drag him. Yami struggled a bit before laughing. "Noa, your men seem eager to take me away tonight. Any reason?"

He winced as one gripped his arm tighter, tipping his head back to see the angry face of one, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. Yami frowned to himself as he puzzled out the man, he had seen him before. His name was…Kevin, Howard…no…Steve? He couldn't remember. But what struck him were the sunglasses that the man still wore. Who wore sunglasses at night?

"There's another surprise, Atemu. I'll meet you there." Yami nodded and allowed himself to be led away, ignoring the pain in his arm from where the man he assumed was called Steve held on too tight. They managed to stumble along a few blocks in silence until Yami spoke up again.

"Anyone feel like singing?"

* * *

Noa shook his head as he watched his inebriated business partner be led away, babbling nonsense to his lackeys and infuriating Keith. He hoped that the blonde thug would have the self control to keep Yami alive long enough to take him to the docks.

The aqua haired teen banished the rest of his worries, turning to look at Weevil who was still shoving sandwiches down his throat. Noa resisted the urge to hit the teen, refusing to give into his baser urges. Seto would not have worried about stooping so low; this was how Noa held himself above his brother. Instead of hitting him, Noa forced his hand to rest on Weevil's shoulder, mental shuddering at the motion. "Is everything ready for the surprise?"

"Surprise?" The word came out muffled around a sandwich. Noa groaned and turned away, not wanting to see the half masticated food in his underling's mouth. "What surprise boss?"

"The big," Noa allowed himself a smile at this, "surprise."

"Oh." Weevil reached out for the bottle of ketchup nearby, the presence of the condiment itself baffling Noa. What kind of person had ketchup with sandwiches? He had to jump away from Weevil in the next second as he upended the bottle over the sandwich, letting the red paste drop onto the bread. "You mean that surprise."

Noa didn't bother to answer, instead staring at the stained sandwich, his imagination already supplying wonderful images. The blood was Yami's, spreading slowly across the surface of his skin and his partner choked on his own blood, reaching out blindly to Noa for his help. And Noa wouldn't stoop to help him, choosing to walk away and leave the teen to writhe on the ground. But he did take the crown; take the right to rule away from the lofty teen. Now the people would love him!

"Boss?" Noa shook the alluring images out of his mind, motioning for Weevil to follow him.

"We'll take your car."

* * *

Ryou rushed through the crowd, roughly elbowing people out of his way. His mind whirled in a panic. He had to find Yami before Noa did something dangerous. He had to find Bakura, because saving Yami by himself would be stupid. He stood no chance against Noa's thugs. With his thoughts focused inward, he didn't notice the white haired thief until he ran into him, knocking them both to the ground.

As he blinked down at the man who could be his double, the words he spoke were not the best. "Well speak of the devil."

He was roughly shoved off with a growl of, "Get off me." Ryou stood up, offering his hand only to have it slapped away. Bakura stomped off to the edge of the crowd, Ryou following in his wake. He lost the irate thief many times, but finally found him in a clear spot, leaning against a house. Ryou flinched away from the angry gaze. "I thought I made it clear I was done with you two for the day. What does the Pharaoh want now?"

"They're gonna kill him."

"What?!"

The words had slipped out without any agreement between his mouth and brain. Ryou lowered his gaze, running a shaky hand through his hair. "I overheard Weevil telling Kemo and Keith that Noa was planning on killing Yami…tonight. I've got to stop them…but I need help."

He looked up hopefully, trying to use his brown eyes to his advantage. Bakura usually melted under this look for reasons that Ryou did not really know for certain, but hoped to be true. But there was none of the usual grumbling and protests that eventually led to Bakura caving. He blinked and shook the strands of hair that had drifted across his vision away.

Bakura looked angry. No. He looked livid. He glanced once at the crowd once and Ryou before grabbing Ryou's arm and hauling him down an alleyway between two houses. Ryou must have made some noise of protest because he found himself face to face with Bakura, whimpering under the flashing russet eyes. "No one tries to kill the Pharaoh except for me. Now, try and keep up."

Ryou nodded and broke into a jog, following Bakura as the thief ran through the streets. Slightly at ease that he had found some help, he allowed himself to relax a fraction. He wasn't worried about Bakura's earlier statement; it was part of the strange friendship that he and Yami shared.

Yami had caught Bakura trying to steal from the profits they made from the Baroness in the early days, when there was barely anything to spare, which had kicked off a series of contests of wits between the two which had lasted for a year. Back then, Bakura and Yami had really hated each other. The mutual hatred had eased into dislike, but still respect as they realized that they were almost equal. They still kept up the façade because they felt comfortable with it; it was the only way they knew how to exist with each other. Besides, Yami was still letting Bakura stay with them, even if he was threatened with eviction every other day.

He plowed into Bakura as the thief came to a stop by an abandoned float, rooting around the base to come up with a string of gold beads and a couple of used cups. He pointed the hand that was holding the beads to a half eaten plate of sandwiches. "Someone had a party here, and I bet it was our friend Noa, judging by the high class food."

Ryou chuckled, having noted the watercress sandwiches that were left behind. He scanned the ground, eyes catching on one of the delicacies smothered with a red substance. His humor disappeared in the next moment. "But where are they now?"

Bakura slunk around the site of the party, Ryou staying out of his way. This was Bakura's territory, not his. Ryou was good at picking up information from crowded rooms or household stuff. He snapped out of his funk as Bakura paced back to him. "They didn't leave anything for me other than these things." The cups were tossed to the side as Bakura decided to play with the beads as he thought. "Where would he go next?"

Ryou shrugged. He wasn't the mastermind. That was Yami. He glanced toward the docks, the direction chosen at random. But Bakura picked up on his move and cursed under his breath, nearly throwing the beads to the side. He held onto them for some reason, staring at them before gently draping them around Ryou's neck.

"They look good on you." The words were mumbled before Bakura grabbed Ryou's hand and sprinted for the docks.

Ryou felt a faint shock as Bakura held his hand, blushing at the implication he was giving the gesture. It wasn't platonic, it wasn't intimate; Bakura just didn't trust him to keep up. And Ryou didn't blame the thief, he was known be a klutz sometimes. But the beads were different. Bakura had actually taken the time out of searching for his friend/enemy to give him something, along with a compliment. And that confused Ryou because it existed outside the sphere of normal Bakura behavior.

But secretly, he hoped that boundary would be crossed more often.

* * *

Noa could feel Weevil's nervous gaze on him as they waited in the car. He looked out the windshield, watching as Keith finished tying the blindfold on Yami below before angrily striding off. Noa smiled to himself and slipped out of the car, hearing Weevil copy him on the other side of the vehicle. Below them, they could hear Yami wrapping up the song of 'Duel Monsters Cards on the Wall', pausing before he found something else to sing. If only they had known that Yami was musically inclined when he was drunk, then his former partner could have been more fun to tease.

From here, he could see the dock rolling away into the ocean that sat on one side of Domino City, the swamps that housed his casino beginning where the docks ended, about three miles away. The dock they were standing on was a perfect slope, slanting from the flat plane where the car idled to where Yami stood below, struggling his way through a song. Noa snorted and allowed himself a little childish behavior, waving at the figure below although Yami couldn't see him. "Good-bye, Atemu."

He walked around the car; shoving Weevil out of the way to turn put the car into drive, staring at the brick that Weevil had placed on the brake pedal. Noa leaned in to shift the brick, jumping and bumping his head on the steering wheel when Weevil spoke. "Great plan, boss, but did we have to use my car?"

"Shut up, I'll by you a new car. A Beetle. Anything better than this piece of crap."

Weevil immediately brightened, stepping out of the way to give Noa room to reach in and shove the brick over to the gas pedal. The red block rolled clumsily, knocking lightly against the pedal once before settling into place. Noa barely had time to pull back before the car shot forward, wincing as the still open door slammed against his side. In retrospect, he should have left Weevil in the car. It would have killed two birds with one stone.

* * *

Bakura pulled him behind a shipping crate, keeping Ryou close as he whispered to the teenager. "Keep quiet. We don't know how many thugs Noa has waiting for us, or if he's after us next. Stick close."

The thief slipped through the shadows easily while Ryou stumbled after him, jumping at every new noise. He nearly bumped into his guide numerous times as Bakura stopped to check if the coast was clear, always pressing a hand over his mouth to keep from apologizing. After a few minutes of moving in this manner, Ryou was impatient.

They weren't covering ground fast enough. Noa had a head start of an unknown length of time. They didn't even know how he was planning to kill Yami. Yami could be dead by now and at the bottom of sea for all they knew. Ryou resisted the urge to push around Bakura, knowing that he had been the one to beg for his help. But by the gods, why did he have to move so slowly?

The sound of a revving engine caught their attention, Bakura stumbling into a run. Ryou found himself missing the few times Bakura had towed him along while he was running; missing the tactile contact with thief.

He stumbled after Bakura, nearly losing him as he swiftly turned the corners, easily picking his way through the maze that the shipping crates created. As the sound got closer, Ryou stopped relying on the quick sightings of white hair as Bakura kept ahead of him and relied instead on the sound of the car. He caught sight of it as he hit the last line of crates, running until and arm grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back.

* * *

Yami was trying to piece together the song from one of his fondest memories, from a time when his family was happy, before he felt compelled to leave because of the lack of funds. He remembered his sister, ready for Halloween, skipping around the house all dressed in white with feathery wings. What had seen been? His mind stumbled over the word, pride rushing through him when he remembered. Right, she had been an angel.

And the song, how did that go? The tune was stuck in his head, playing round and round with the faintest overlay of his sister's voice. But he couldn't hear the words, not clearly enough. He groaned and rubbed his head, wishing he hadn't drunk so much. Usually he was much better about pacing himself. His hands knocked against something on his head, tipping the crown from its place on his head and sending it bouncing off somewhere.

A new sound knocked its way into his world, but Yami brushed it off as unimportant. What he was working on right now was all that mattered. He could remember her face, see her lips moving but not the words. Then, in a rush of genius, they came to him, as the sound got louder.

"_One little angel all dressed in white, trying to get to Heaven-"_

Then all he knew was pain.

* * *

_Let me know what you think, I can take criticism. Flames will be laughed at._

_As posted on my profile, updates will be every week, probably on Fridays. As a warning, my life will be getting hectic in the next couple of weeks, so the updates might come and weird hours during the day. Thank you for your patience. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs Go to Heaven or the song Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

They were too late. Too far away and too late.

"No!"

He had seen the car flying down the slope towards Yami, who stood facing west.

"Yami!"

He had seen the car hit his friend. Seen them both crash into the water. And neither had come up.

"Let go of me, Bakura!" Ryou struggled against the arm that held him still, Bakura clinging to a nearby shipping crate to steady himself. Ryou slumped when he felt the grip get tighter, still staring at the spot where his friend had disappeared. "I need to check if he's okay."

"Ryou…" The soft tone of the thief's voice made him angry. He pulled himself from the hold and raced towards the dock, faintly hearing Bakura scream his name as he ran after. Ryou didn't watch where he was going, instead focused on that one spot in the ocean.

Yami would come back. He would always come back. Nothing could beat him. Ryou had never seen that happen. Yami would never allow that to happen. Yami had even escaped from jail, and the cops were probably still clueless as to his whereabouts. He couldn't be beaten by something as simple as this!

Ryou stumbled as he hit the wooden part of the dock, nearly falling on his face as he raced down the slope at full speed, having to grab onto a piling at the end to keep himself from falling through the busted railing from where the car went through. He stood there, heart pounding as he tried to catch his breath, and waited. He barely heard Bakura come up behind him, but silently thanked the thief for letting him have this moment.

He didn't know how long they stood there for, just staring at the waves, but Bakura finally ended their vigil by placing a hand on his shoulder. Ryou turned to him with eyes beginning to brim with tears. "Just a few more minutes."

"It's been ten." Bakura steered him away from the edge, putting his other hand on the unoccupied shoulder to keep Ryou close. He knew that Bakura thought he would do something stupid, like jump into the water and try and save Yami. But he wouldn't, he couldn't. He wasn't that brave.

Ryou crumpled at the thought, his eyes straying. He stopped at the faint flash of something, shaking off Bakura's hold and sliding over to whatever it was. He managed to get a hold on it before Bakura was on him again, tugging him away. "Come on! I want to get out of here before Noa gets the idea to come after us."

Ryou was too busy with the object he held in his hands to agree. He felt Bakura take hold of his shoulders again with an annoyed sigh and start guiding him toward where the three of them lived. Well, the two of them lived. Ryou closed his hands over the object, sighing when he felt pain. Pain was good, right? Pain meant that you were alive.

He looked down at the crown he held, turning it from side to side so the street lights would make it sparkle. Ryou found himself focusing on the one place where the gold paint had been scraped off, unsure if that had always been there, or if it had just occurred. But, without the paint, the crown was just a dull grey. And, right under the eye, the scratch sat; in the shape of a teardrop.

* * *

Noa smirked to himself as he strolled down the passage, one hand fiddling idly with a key. It felt good to have something go according to plan. Heck, it felt good to not have Yami breathing down his neck again. Even in the short few hours that his former business partner had been back, he had started to feel cramped; like he had when he still lived with Seto.

His smirk grew bigger at the thought of his big brother. He knew that Seto could have never carried a plan off so quickly. Seto would have sat for weeks figuring out all the little details, everything that could go wrong and how to avoid it before finally implementing it, often just in the nick of time. But Seto's plans always worked out, and that annoyed Noa.

Noa's plans, up until now, had never worked out completely. The solved the problem for the time being, but never fully. Yami had the same annoying quality as Seto; perfect plans, and even faster delivery.

Well, now he didn't have to worry about either of them. Seto had washed his hands of his errant little brother, leaving him to wallow in the shadier side of the business world while he guided their father's small company to the top. And Yami couldn't get to him if he tried.

He slipped the key into the lock of the door, blinking at the automatic reaction. He hadn't realized that he was here already. Controlling himself, Noa slipped on the mask of a businessman, stepping confidently into the room, shutting the door quickly behind him.

The lighting was dim here, illumination coming from only one lamp by the bed. Sitting on the bed, wrapped up the patchwork cover was a small boy, spikes of red tipped black hair poking out from where he had pulled the blanket over his head like a hood. Noa flinched away at the reminder of his former business partner, only relaxing when the boy turned to look at him, his large purple eyes nothing like Yami's narrow red ones.

"Have you come to warn me too, because one of your guys has already done that?" The boy shifted on the bed, refolding his legs before going back to staring at the wall.

"No. I came to tell you that I expect you to be working the floor. And don't go easy on people just because they look miserable." He waved his hand dismissively as the boy opened his mouth to speak. "Those are your orders. Remember, kid, you are expendable."

"If I was, why do you bother keeping me here?" The boy turned to look at him, the violet eyes suddenly hard and searching. "Why do you give me so many chances? I have seen others being fired doing the same things I do and I'm still here. Tell me then, why?"

"Because you're the best there is." There was nothing wrong with the kid knowing that.

The kid shook his head, still glaring at Noa. "I hear them talking. You must forget, you can't forbid the customers from talking to me. They say I'm almost as good as the Pharaoh."

Noa didn't realize he had flinched at the mention of the name until he saw the kid's eyes widen. He settled himself again, quickly piecing back together the mask that had shattered. "You're better than…" he couldn't bring himself to say the nickname, "him, kid. A thousand times better."

"'M not a kid." The first part of the reply was muffled as the kid pulled the blanket closer to him. Noa shivered himself, noting the water dripping from the walls. It was a bit chilly down here. He mentally reminded himself to bring a jacket when visiting his prize. "Can you prove I'm better?"

"What?"

"Can you prove your claim?" The kid was challenging him to something, like Yami used to do. Noa reacted instinctively, turning his head away to let the challenge die in the air between them.

"Easily."

"Well then…"

"You're here, he's not." Noa left it at that, backing toward the door to make sure he had his eyes on the kid the entire time. He didn't want his prize to escape. "Remember what I said, or you will be punished."

The kid turned back to his contemplation of the wall, presenting Noa with the view of his hair again. He shivered for a moment, calming himself by repeating the fact that Yami was dead, he had watched him die that very night. This kid just had an uncanny resemblance to him, except for the eyes. No, even the hair was lacking the wayward strands of blonde that shot through the black like lightning bolts.

Thus satisfied by his justification, Noa pushed himself backward through the door, shutting and locking the portal behind him. He lightly brushed off his suit before strolling back to his office, dropping the key into his pocket. He felt like whistling, but refrained. It was not proper behavior for a businessman.

His carefree stride faltered for a moment as the piece of advice fluttered through his mind. That was Seto's opinion, not his. Seto's opinion was never his. He could whistle if he wanted. After a moment of thought, he settled for humming. He wasn't that good at whistling anyway.

* * *

Yugi let himself slump at the sound of the door locking. He never really believed that he would be let go as easily as the others were. But hope kept raising its head and ending up breaking him again. He shivered and pulled the blanket closer to him, letting his thoughts wander as he fixed his gaze on the wall. What he wanted more than anything was to get out of here and go home, the latter more of a vague concept to him.

He had never known his father, just known little tidbits gleaned from his mother as she rushed about the house; attempting to care for a growing boy and still make enough money to keep them in the house. Yugi had asked if his father had run away, but his mother had always told him no. "Your father is an angel now," she would tell him, kneeling down to hug her son, "watching over the both of us in heaven."

And he would be happy with that, because it made his mother happy. Anything that made his mother happy made him happy. So, Yugi had tried to help out as much as he could, even using his skill with games that his mother claimed had come from his grandfather to win them extra money in tournaments. Anything to keep the two of them together and in one place.

But then times had gotten hard and they had to move further away; had to move to a place that always seemed shadowy and grey. There Yugi had hit his teenage years, struggling with his mother to make the money to pay the rent. How he had managed to keep his innocent belief in all people was beyond him; just a trait that he could never get rid of. Like the fact that he was doomed to be forever five foot nothing. But they had still been happy, because they had each other.

That was until his mother had never returned one night. That same night that his current employer had burst into their house and demanded that Yugi come with him. That Yugi no longer had a mother to take care of him and that no one would bother to come to look at him, because nobody cared for people like them. Simple as that, he had been dragged away to this place, in some town he didn't know. And all he could think about was getting out and finding what family was left to him. Getting out and going home.

He knew his mother was dead, he had seen her body as the thugs had dragged him away. Seen the bloodied knife and the smirking man who had crouched beside it. No one had even tried to block him from the sight.

Yugi groaned and flipped the patchwork blanket completely over his head at the thought. He had cried for most of the days stuck in here, and he still broke into tears at the tiniest provocation. It was one of the traits, other than his natural inclination to avoid people, that he hated the most. He was fifteen years old; he should have grown out of that stage years ago!

Still, in his naturally cheerful way, he had thrown himself into his new work. Except, the people here didn't respond to cheer immediately. They shuffled around with their heads down and kept to themselves. They didn't laugh and they didn't smile. The few who opened up to him rarely came around, the few happy ones stayed away. But he did hear enough from those few to spark his interest.

There had been someone here before, but he had been arrested. For what, no one knew. They just knew it was a case that had long since gone cold, but this man had been picked up for it. Some said he was framed. Others said that he actually committed the crime. More just shrugged and shuffled on their way.

What Yugi did know was that this teenager, just two years his senior, was a legend in the gaming circles of the casinos. If you could name it, he could play it and beat you at it; poker, blackjack, even Duel Monsters if the rare duelist showed up in a casino. Yugi had listened in awe about this teenager, only getting the moniker that the populace called him by, Pharaoh.

It didn't take long after that to discover that his kidnapper did not like this Pharaoh. Yugi had been beaten enough after mentioning him that he avoided the nickname, instead sticking to pronouns. Recently, even those who had dared talk about the teenager had fallen silent, too cowed by the real world to spend their days chasing after a mystical legend.

Yugi shifted to ease his legs, falling backward onto the thin mattress, wincing as his back hit a spring. It would do him no good speculating on the past, he told himself. Obviously no one was coming to save him, so he would have to save himself. Once he figured out how to.

Many things were against him, his size being the most obvious. His kidnapper had thugs with knives and guns. Plus, they knew the layout of the ship. He only knew the passage that led him into the main room and his own room. He wasn't allowed anywhere else. Even the ventilation ducts were up too high for him to reach, even if he stood on his tip-toes on the pile of junk that taunted him.

He groaned and rolled onto his side, pulling the blanket closer to deal with the chill. Right now, he wanted to sleep, because he could imagine he was somewhere else. Imagine he was at home with his grandfather, sitting around the kitchen table playing chess to pass the time, or waiting for his mother to return home so they could laugh over inconsequential things. He knew he was getting depressed when he began imagining his mother was alive again.

She had always been adamant that there was a better place after life; that heaven did exist. He had never been quite assured that such a place existed, but he was willing to believe. Besides, his mother had been so adamant that his father was up in that place, always watching over him. So he had believed, if only for her sake. And he prayed, mostly for his sake.

His prayers were actually anything but. They had once followed form and function, as much as his mother could teach him. But now, it was more like a report to his parents to tell them he was alright. A traitorous voice in the back of his head said it was to keep him from feeling so alone, so abandoned; especially when he only 'prayed' when he was feeling particularly lonely.

"Hello. I'm still here, wherever here is. And I still have my job." Yugi burrowed deeper into his scant covers, shivering at the cold that still leaked in. "But I do have one thing to ask. Grandpa must be worried sick about me, since they haven't heard from me in a year and a half. So, I just need someone to help me get out of here. I've tried, but I can't think of anything. Thank you. And I love you both."

Satisfied with that, Yugi shifted until he found a relatively comfortable spot on his mattress and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Ryou stared at the crown on his bed, watching the light play on the paint. He wanted to cry. He _needed_ to cry, but there was nothing else to give. He had stood in the shower for twenty minutes, partially to hide his sobs from Bakura and partially to give the thief the time he needed to mourn himself. Sighing, Ryou reluctantly reached over and picked up the crown. He held it in his hands for a moment before tip-toeing out of his room.

He felt ridiculous as he crept down the halls of his own house holding the plastic crown in his hands. It was just something he felt he needed to do. He couldn't keep the thing in his room because it wasn't his. Bakura would have gladly kept it, as a memento of his friend/enemy, but it wasn't in Ryou to do that.

He cautiously opened the door to Yami's room, hesitating in the doorway before rushing in and dropping the crown on the bed and running out. He jogged back to his room before throwing himself onto his bed and curling around a pillow, shuddering because he could not cry anymore. Shakily, he hand reached up to shut off the light that shone from the desk beside his bed, preferring to face the darkness in his current mood. He knew that it was overly dramatic, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Yami had become his brother, his family, his world. Yami had been there through everything, trying to help Ryou overcome his antisocial tendencies. Even putting up with him as he followed Yami everywhere, because he couldn't figure out the right way to show his loyalty to the teenager.

His mother and sister had died in a car crash, leaving him and his father to survive on their own. Ryou had been fourteen when they had died, and his father had lasted four months with him before he had disappeared. Ryou had clung to Yami then, his only friend. Yami had been without a family for as long as he had known him, preferring to survive on his own.

Once Ryou's father had left, they become inseparable, mostly because of Ryou's fear of being left along again. And Yami had let him cling for a while before slowly pushing him away, helping him gain what little confidence he had. And, when Ryou felt comfortable enough with himself, he became Yami's own shadow. Yami had taken that choice without a question, always considering Ryou a close friend, even offering him a part in the partnership that had ended that night.

Ryou pressed himself closer to the pillow, one hand groping for the sheet that he knew was pinned somewhere beneath him. Yami had done everything for him, and he had failed him. Now everything was falling apart at the seams. Miserable, Ryou curled up and let sleep take him.

* * *

Bakura roamed the upper level of the house, pacing around the large living room that made up the first floor. He kept his eyes glued to the door, nervously wondering if any more of Noa's thugs would burst in at any moment. Another part of him was worried that the police might show up looking for Yami and take him instead. After all, his record wasn't that clean.

A smaller, more annoying part, said that he was waiting for the teenager himself to stride through the door, laughing like it was all a joke. Part of him believed, as he sure Ryou did, that Yami was truly invincible. Because nothing seemed to touch him, nothing had affected him until now.

Bakura shook his head with a growl and moved to the concealed door that led to the basement level, where the bedrooms, kitchen and a second living room were. It was an odd layout, but it suited the occupants who lived here. After all, nearly all of them were hiding from something. Bakura from the local law. Ryou from the rest of the world. Marik, who was out of the country for the moment, from most of his family. Yami from whoever wanted to hurt him for his business at the Baroness and, more recently, the alleged crime he had committed. Ironically, the one member of their little group that they had to thank for the privacy of the house, was gone.

The white haired thief spared a single glance toward Ryou's room, noticing with a content sigh that the light was off, before heading into his own room. He took two strides and flopped down onto his bed, one hand resting over his eyes as he truly realized the situation they were in.

Without Yami, their little group was leaderless, it lacked the glue that it needed to hold it together. Marik and himself were loners by nature, while Ryou just avoided people because he didn't feel comfortable around them. Ryou was the one weak link in their chain, but they all protected him like a little brother, a novel concept for Bakura who had never had siblings to speak of…that he knew about. He was even changing his behavior towards Ryou, intentionally softening everything towards the boy. Personally, he didn't know how long his coddling stage would last until he struck out again. It was not in his personality to protect and cosset.

He sighed and rubbed his hands over his eyes. He would worry about all of that tomorrow. For now, he felt like he had been wrung dry. He just wanted to sleep the next few days away and pretend like the world didn't exist. And he could tell that Ryou wanted that too.

No, what they really wanted they couldn't have back.

Bakura growled and turned to punch his pillow before shifting to a more comfortable position. He lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling in anger, like he was daring it to deny him what he wanted. He wanted someone to walk up and tell him that Yami wasn't coming back so he could punch that person too. He didn't want to be the one saying it over and over again to convince Ryou, because it broke him somewhere too.

* * *

_Read, review and criticize constructively please. Flames will be stared at oddly. Also, sorry about the delay. Because of this, I shall also update on Wednesday...because I feel bad about not keeping up with my schedule. Enjoy as always.  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** As promised, an extra update. Here' s chapter four for y'all. Look for chapter five (hopefully) on Friday.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs Go to Heaven or the song Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective creators. Everything in between is mine.

**Warnings:** Blood, not a lot, but it's still there.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

He was in darkness, totally darkness. But he was moving, he could tell, moving at a fast pace. He opened his mouth to scream, but found he had no breath to do it with. Then the colors came, flashing by so fast it made his head spin; pink and blue, sharp and soft. He narrowed his eyes to keep the ache from the flashing colors back. In doing so, he missed the bright light that flared before he crashed into something solid and metal.

Yami lay on the ground, groaning at the sharp pain in his back. His head throbbed painfully, the events of the recent past very foggy. Slowly, he rolled onto his hands and knees, wincing as the pain that lanced through his skull. He had had hangovers before, but nothing as bad as this. His musing was interrupted by the appearance of a slim hand in his line of sight. Cautiously, he looked up.

Standing before him was a beautiful women of Egyptian descent, looking to be in her mid twenties at the least. Her black hair hung loosely down her back in stark contrast to the bright white robe with gold trimmings. He was held captive by her blue eyes for a moment, wondering why the color seemed so familiar and filled him with horror. She waved her hand in front of his face before he finally took it, listening to her laughter.

"Hello, I'm Isis."

"Goddess of…" He trailed off as he head throbbed with the action of getting up combined with thinking. Yami stood and swayed in place for a moment, fearfully glancing to one side to see what he had run into. He got a glimpse of a silver stand crumpled on the ground with a book to one side, creamy pages open to the sky before Isis' laughter distracted him again.

"No, no."

"Oh. Sorry about that," he motioned to the stand, unable to quite fish out the word, "there."

She patted his shoulder sympathetically before stooping to pick up the book, idly flipping through the pages. "It's alright, Atemu. No harm done."

He nodded and looked around him, surprised to find himself standing on an intricate oriental rug. Yami squinted off into the distance, surprised to see a field of what looked like papyrus flourishing where the rug ended. Confused, he tipped his head back to look at the sky, surprised at the array of stars. He had never seen them so bright before as most of the lights in Domino blocked them out completely. Still looking at the sky, he spoke to Isis. "Where am I?"

"Oh, perfection and paradise itself." She paused when he lowered his gaze back to her, blinking slowly. The words fit in some sort of order in his pounding head, but he couldn't make anything out of it. Yami was cautiously shaking his head, well aware of his headache, while Isis continued. "You're in heaven."

"Well, with…" He trailed off with a faint shudder. Why did that sound so familiar? The pounding of his head returned, and he lifted his hands to rub at his temples. The movement of his arms disturbed something around his neck, the faint sound of metal on metal making him stare down at the gold watch that hung around his neck. Yami picked the watch up off his chest, staring at its blank golden surface. This was familiar. He had gotten it…it was a gift from a friend…no, something like a friend, but not quite an enemy. It was important because…he had got it before all of this happened. Before all of what happened?

Yami looked helplessly at Isis, watching the gambit of emotions across her eyes. Resignation. Sorrow. Pity? And then the blue eyes were back to calm. She carefully closed the book she was holding, making sure her finger remained in a certain place between the pages. "You're dead."

The fog in his head disappeared in an instant, leaving him without any pain in his head. He remembered it all. The party. The present. The docks. The blindfold. The sound of the car. Pain. And darkness. Yami tightened his grip around the watch, staring at Isis, ready for her to call her bluff. But her face remained sincere, and Yami felt his stomach drop out. "You mean I'm…I'm…"

"Deceased." She reached out and gave his shoulder a quick squeeze before opening the book again and walking away. "I'm sorry Atemu."

"But…" Yami stared after her for a moment before rushing towards her, jumping around the white wings that emerged from her back. How he had missed those before was a mystery to him. "That can't be I was…" The memories finally slotted into their proper place, leaving Yami gaping at the solution that entered his mind. "I was murdered!"

"Yes." There was pity in Isis' voice, something he didn't need. "It's sad what people do for money. Although," she went back to her book, "your record isn't the best I have seen either."

He could care less what that darn book had to say about him. Yami raced to stand in front of her, holding out both hands in a plea for her to stop, one still holding the golden watch. "I was murdered! In the prime of my life!"

"I can see that-"

"My partner killed me!" Yami watched helplessly as Isis walked past, still cradling the book. "I was double crossed! I just got out of jail!" There was a pause as Isis stopped, looking over her shoulder at him before dropping her gaze back to the book.

He was out of his depth here. "Is there someone else I can speak to, a superior? Because, I really don't want to be dead."

"Nobody does, Atemu." The sharp tone startled him just as much as the use of his real name and the realization that she had been using it from the start. "But that is how life plays out. Your life, it says here," she gestured at the book, "ends when your business partner, one Noa Kaiba, used a car to break your neck and shatter most of your ribs, which led to one of your lungs being pierced. But you drowned before you could die of those wounds because you were unconscious upon impact with the ocean. Does that satisfy you?"

"No." Yami was regaining his confidence now. Did she expect to cower because she rambled off an explanation of how he could have died? He stormed over to her, leaning over to book to talk to her. "Let. Me. Go. Back."

"I cannot." She pushed him away before shoving the book in his face. "This is your life, all written out so you can be judged when you come here."

Yami stared at the close writing, unable to absorb what was in front of him. His eyes snapped up to the title that lined the top of the pages, starting at what was written there: '_Atemu 'Yami' Seti'_. He stared back at Isis, red eyes demanding an explanation. He was immediately yanked to the side, through something that looked like a cloud bank.

His first impression with this new place was the constant sound of ticking. He found himself surrounded by clocks of various make and design. His hand tightened around his own watch, which he had still not let go of, before glancing at Isis. "What's some watch department prove?"

The book was yanked from his hands and a watch shoved in to replace it. Yami stared at the timepiece, having dropped his original back to hang around his neck, turning it over carefully. It looked exactly like the other one; a gold fob watch. Except this one was hanging on what looked like a loop of leather, tied hastily to the watch itself. He flipped it back to the front, surprised to see something engraved on it. He traced the upside down pyramid shape with a finger, lingering over the Eye of Horus in the middle before raising his eyes to look at Isis.

"That watch is your life. And it's stopped."

Yami flicked open the watch, staring with incomprehension at the still hands. He gently tapped the surface of the watch, hoping that there was something left that would get him back. His ministrations disturbed the white tag that he hadn't noticed before, the slip of paper fluttering down the loop of leather to rest by his hand. On the front it had his full name. Yami flipped it over quickly, his heart sinking as he read the list of injuries incurred and cause of death. Down at the bottom of the tag, in neat handwriting were two words; '_Stone Cold'_.

Isis chuckled to herself, telling him that the expression on his face was something interesting. "It gets pretty boring in this department, so they have what fun they can."

Yami snapped the watch shut, staring at the small pyramid on the front of the watch. Isis seemed to take his silence for acceptance, because she went back to the book, the soft sound of pages turning the only sound between the two of them. He found the sound to be too grating on his fraying nerves, unconsciously fiddling with the leather around the watch, tying and untying the one knot.

His mind refused to work, running back over all the information that had been dumped upon him. He was dead. This was paradise, heaven, his reward for a life well lived. His partner had killed him. Noa had murdered him, drowned him. Stabbed him in the back. His hand clenched around the watch, wincing slightly at the press of the bulb on the top that controlled the winding mechanism.

The feel of the cold metal pressing against his hand sparked an idea, a welcome break from the circular path his thoughts had been taking. Yami glanced up at Isis, holding the watch out to her. "You can just wind this thing back up again!"

"And send you back!" The book nearly fell to the ground, the usual grace of the woman broken by the demand. "No one is ever allowed to go back!"

"What?"

"Atemu," he rolled his shoulder away as she attempted to touch it, growling at the unwanted contact. He heard Isis sigh, the soft rustle of her robes betraying her movement. "Atemu, no one can go back. We can't start to make any exceptions to this rule."

"But I never got to live!" Ryou. Gods, how was Ryou going to handle being on his own. The image of his white-haired friend sprang immediately to mind. Yami glared at the angel who was tormenting him. "And I have people down there that need me!"

"Doesn't everyone?" The icy blue eyes flashed, making Yami taking a step backwards out of sheer habit before he shook it off. This wasn't Noa, this was some angel who was bound and determined to make his afterlife hell. He opened his mouth to retort when she went on. "Do you think that I didn't have any loved ones that I left behind? They just have to learn to live without you."

Yami turned away from Isis, glaring at the watch that he held in his hand like it was the cause of all of his problems. It just wasn't fair! He couldn't leave Ryou alone back in Domino, especially not with Noa running free. How long would it be until Ryou was found and killed too? Marik wasn't at the house to protect him; the poor kid only had Bakura. And how trustworthy was the thief? He could get caught by the police any day now, which brought Yami back to square one. How to protect Ryou from getting harmed by any of this?

He realized that he had been fiddling with the leather on the engraved watch again, watching with fascination as he easily slipped one end of the leather from the ring at the top of the watch before moving it back to retie it. Yami focused on the watch around his neck, comparing the two identical watches with a plan forming in his mind.

When had he ever before gone to someone for help? Barring the prison incident, which had been out of his control from the start, he had always gotten out of his messes by himself. Why was he waiting for help from an angel who clearly did not want to be dealing with him. A smirk moved onto his face, the customary expression settling in as he formed his plan.

Making sure to keep his posture the same, he slipped the gift watch from around his neck, fingers easily finding the clasp that kept the chain secure. Yami pulled the chain from the ring on the gift watch, replacing it quickly with the plain leather that he had removed from the engraved watch. He flinched as Isis spoke again, peering miserably over his shoulder at her outstretched hand. "I'll need that watch back."

Yami sighed and slapped the watch with the leather loop back into her hand, turning around sulkily as he clasped the watch on the chain back around his neck. When the strained silence following his move became too much to bare, he turned around with a quickly snapped, "What?"

"I need you to sign." The book was floating in front of him, a quill and ink bobbing gently beside it. Yami snatched up the quill, one hand dropping to play with the watch that he wore around his neck.

"Why?"

"For the records." Isis was staring at the tag that remained on the loop of leather, reading it over before letting the watch drift back to its spot. Yami saw her jump as he played with the winding mechanism on his watch, seeing her relax after a moment. He fought to control his smirk. After all, she had just removed the temptation from him, right?

"Fine." He hastily scrawled 'Atemu' across the blank space, dropping the quill back in the ink and stepping away. Isis caught up the book, a smile appearing on her face. Yami didn't return the smile, instead looking sulkily at the watch that he cradled in his hand, still cautiously winding it up.

He was so focused in his task that he missed the odd look that Isis sent him. He missed the shudder that the book gave before new lines of text began to write themselves out, spilling over onto where he signed his name, eradicating it.

Yami finally looked up as Isis gave a strangled scream, watching with a perverse sense of pleasure as he finally read the next line of his life, backing away as Isis ran toward him. "Atemu, don't wind that watch!"

"Sorry." He let his hand fall away from the mechanism, feeling the watch vibrate and shudder in his hand. Isis leapt for him as light began spilling from the watch, the brightness of it blinding him. Yami put up an arm to block his eyes from the light, crumpling over as he felt something like a punch in the gut before he was pulled fiercely backwards.

The lights flashed by again, angry pulsing in time to the light from the watch. Yami winced and shut his eyes, noticing that the darkness was returning quickly. He plunged into the heart of it, still reeling from his quick journey back. And then he was drowning in silence.

Was he back in that tunnel under the prison? When were Ryou and the thief showing up? Would they just leave him here to die?

Yami felt something brush across the back of his neck. He reacted instantly, turning quickly to push away from the object. As he moved his body cried out in pain. Yami opened his mouth to scream, but felt water rush in instead. In a panic, he shoved himself off the ground, only managing to rise a few feet under his own power before he began to writhe in pain.

Parts of his body felt like they were tearing off from others, ripping through flesh and muscle to return to places that they did not seem to belong. Limbs twisted and contorted to return to the wrong configuration. There was suddenly a lot of activity, too much to be normal. And there was a strange pounding in his chest, something that had never been there before.

Frantically, Yami clawed his way up to the surface, taking in a deep gulp of air before sinking beneath the water again, doubled over in pain. Barely conscious, he tried for the surface again, his hand smacking against something hard before grabbing a hold. He used this flimsy anchor to haul himself back to the surface.

Wood rubbed against his exposed skin and caught on his soaked clothes, making the climb back up to the dock excruciatingly slow. Yami finally shoved himself up with the one leg that still worked, collapsing onto the rough surface to breathe heavily, only to find that he couldn't. At least, not properly.

Before he knew what he was doing, Yami was on his hands and knees, coughing water out of his lungs as his body shook. Faintly over the sounds of his coughing, he could hear a series of cracks as more bones lined themselves back up, leaving him sore all over. With all the water out of his body, Yami no longer had the energy to hold himself up, so he collapsed back to the dock; groaning as he rolled his face away from the puddle of water he had created.

His last rational thought for a while was to knock the watch around his neck away from the water, wanting to keep it safe for a reason that refused to stay in his exhausted mind. With that task done, he finally allowed himself to drift back into darkness.

* * *

Solomon Mutou vaguely puttered around the small game shop that made up the front of his house; an activity that he would normally never engage in. He was used to a more purposeful movement, something gained from the years in foreign countries as an archeologist, not this useless, nervous motion that he was doing now. But it was helping him cope, and that was all that mattered to him.

Thoughtlessly, he straightened some displays although they needed no tending. Anything to keep his mind off the festival currently going on.

Any other year he would have been outside with the rest of Domino, cheering and laughing with his family. But, any other year, he would have had the company of his grandson and daughter. They had always made it around to Domino at this time.

His hand dropped away from the nearest display, his body turning to trudge back to the stool behind the counter. There was no reason for him to still be in here, the shop was closed in honor of the festival. But the house was dangerous. The house held pictures. The house held memories.

It had been a year and a half since he had last heard about his grandson. A year and a half since he had learned that his daughter had been killed and her son orphaned. He had been found by the police, who had explained the situation. The boy, however, had yet to be found. In fact, the police had even given up hope, going so far as to pick out a random criminal to accuse of killing the boy. After a year and a half, there was little hope that Yugi was still alive.

But hope Solomon did, even though it hurt him to do so. He wanted to believe that his grandson was still alive, that he was coming back. Because memories were not enough to sustain him, not enough to keep the image of the smiling boy in his mind. Solomon was old and memories did not stay as long as he wished them to. Little Yugi and the memories of his smile, his infectious laughter, were the only things that kept him going; the only thing that kept his shop open. At least he could see the smile of other kids as they discovered a game or beat their rival.

And that was enough, for now.

Trudging up the courage, Solomon finally dragged himself from his stool and made his way up the stairs in the back of his shop that led to the house. Running a hand over his eyes. He would sleep tonight instead of going out with friends.

For him, there was nothing left to celebrate.

* * *

Yami woke with a gasp, quickly pulling himself away from the dampness under his cheek, half afraid that he would find himself in the water again. He shifted away from the damp boards of wood, one hand reaching up to steady his beating heart. It knocked against something metal on its journey, making Yami look down at stare at the golden watch.

Carefully, he cradled it in his hands, staring down at the Eye of Horus engraved in the little pyramid design. He ran his hands over the timepiece in awe, the watch the confirmation that everything wasn't just a dream. Awestruck, he opened the watch, smiling at the faint ticking that matched the beat of his heart. "I'm alive."

Faint whispers drew his attention to the center of the watch, where it pulsed pink in time to the words leaking out. "Atemu, you can never come back. You can never come-"

He snapped the watch shut before the sentence could finish, chuckling as he did so. So he couldn't go back, that was fine with him. At least he wouldn't have to live that nightmare again. He was still chuckling over his success when he tried to get up, wincing as muscles protested.

He dragged himself over to a piling, using it as a brace until he could stand on his own, subconsciously adjusting the watch that hung around his neck. Cautiously he looked around, cursing himself for not doing so earlier. Noa could have been waiting with his thugs to see if he was really dead. He could have been shot down before he had a chance to stand up. But, thankfully, the area was clear, the sounds the soft lapping of waves against the dock and the faint noises of the festival, the latter still in full swing.

Satisfied that he was safe, Yami was determined to get home. His clothing was soaked and he was starting to shiver from the prolonged exposure. He wanted to get home, get a warm shower and fall into bed for a long sleep. Anything to get his whole body from protesting motion. With that goal in mind, Yami straightened up, one hand going to the watch as he nearly fell.

He strode off in the direction of his home, the usual confident gait marred by the limp he was forced to accept. Still, he moved as quickly as he could, staying in the shadows in case Noa had set a watch for him. The further he moved from the sight of murder, the more confident he became. And the more disgusted in his former business partner.

How could Noa be so confident that Yami would be dead? So confident that he would just leave with all the pieces to solving the murder case right there? Yami shook his head, stopping the motion when his head pounded in time to the ticking watch. Was Noa so set on being separate from Seto that he skipped all the proper procedure? No wonder the Baroness had gone downhill since he had left.

Yami relaxed a bit more at the sight of the familiar neighborhood, all the houses in different states of disrepair, just like the occupants wanted. Here Noa would never bother them because it was beneath the aqua haired teen and because it looked like there was no money to be had. But this was where the lords of this side of Domino lived. All the smart ones anyway.

Here he was safe. Here he could plan his revenge on Noa. Yami smiled, the expression being the limit of what he could do with his protesting body. His former business partner needed to be taught a lesson; he needed to know exactly what would happen when you double crossed the Pharaoh. Even Bakura wasn't stupid enough to do that.

Just as his legs were about to give out, he stumbled into the wall of his home. He reached for the keys in his pocket, thanking whatever gods he could think of that he hadn't left them back at the dock. It would have been embarrassing to knock at the door until Ryo answered. Even worse considering his plan to surprise his housemates. Yami smirked as he inserted the key into the door and shoved his way inside, forcing himself to move slowly.

Yes, to see the shock on their faces as they woke up and found him calmly sitting at the table, eating. Noa wouldn't be able to resist spreading the word about his attempt-Yami refused to call it a success-on his life. And Noa would not be easily persuaded that his former partner was still alive. So, he had a bit of room to think and plan. But, right now, his body said sleep.

He slumped down the stairs that led to the actual house, moving automatically down the hall towards his room. He picked up snores from Bakura's room, telling him that the thief was in, but he couldn't bring himself to care. So the thief had called it an early night. Why should that bother him? What did stop him from his mindless trek was the sound of whimper from Ryou's room.

Yami acted on habit, the long years of being big brother to the British teen pushing past even his own exhaustion. He silently opened the door, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the more complete darkness of Ryou's room. There on the bed, was the white-haired teen, tossing and mumbling in his sleep.

Yami crept into the room, carefully stepping over the things strewn on the floor, worried about the state of the room. Ryou was neater than this usually, almost OCD about keeping his own room clean while letting the others mess theirs up however they pleased. Yami circled the bed, sitting down on the edge farthest away from the door. He winced, briefly wondering what Ryou would do to him for soaking his covers with sea water, before reaching over and gently shaking the shoulder of the teen.

"Ryou?"

* * *

_He was being chased through the dark. He could hear gun shots and laughter as they followed him. Frantic, Ryou dashed into his house, slamming the door behind him before rushing downstairs toward his room. They would never find him there; nobody could. And, even if they did, Yami could hold them off._

_Ryou squeaked in panic as the door that hid the stairs shattered upon impact, scrambling with the handle to his room. He slipped in moments before the thugs piled in, herding the white-haired teen into a corner. Frightened out of his wits, Ryou curled himself against the wall and screamed for Yami._

_Silence fell as he waited for the familiar sound of someone coming at a run, but silence remained. Cautiously, Ryou peered through the arms that shielded his face, stomach dropping as he watched the thugs smile and nudge each other. What did they know that he didn't?_

"_Sorry, Ryou, but Atemu isn't coming." Noa! Ryou jumped at the familiar voice, dropping what defenses he had to look at the aqua haired teen as he strode calmly through the door, like he owned the place. Ryou glared at Noa. Only Yami could walk about like he owned the place; this was his house! The smile that Noa offered as a response to Ryou's glare made the British teen shiver. "In fact, Atemu isn't going to be able to save you anymore."_

"_What-"He flinched back against the wall as something was thrown into his room, something that slammed into him before rolling to the floor. Shivering, Ryou glanced at the offensive thing, mouth going dry as he recognized the crimson eyes that were staring up at him. He reached out to shake the shoulders of his friend, glancing up at the thugs every once and a while. "Yami. Yami. Please, help!"_

_Noa laughed, the thugs providing an inelegant accompaniment to the sound. "He can't, little Ryou. You're on your own."_

_Ryou drew his hand away, ready to shout a reply at Noa when he registered the sticky sensation on his hand. He looked down at it, freezing when he saw the blood that coated it. Ryou yelped and looked down at the floor, scrambling backward at the puddle of blood that was pooling around Yami. He shivered against the wall, trying to curling up as much as possible. So much blood…_

"_Y…you ki…killed him!" Ryou found himself stuttering the sentence out, wincing away as the smile on Noa's face refused to disappear. _

"_Yes. And you're next."_

"_No!" Ryou threw his hands up to guard his face as the thugs walked over, some even stepping on Yami's body to get to him. _

"_Goodbye, Ryou." Noa gave him a little wave before walking out of the door, leaving Ryou to the mercy of his thugs. The British teen reached out only to have set of hands clamp around his neck. He thrashed against the hold, still whimpering out the name of his protector._

"_Yami…"_

"Ryou?"

"_Yami, please help me."_

"Ryou, wake up."

_The thug was now shaking him too, crushing his windpipe and sending his body slamming back into the wall behind him. Ryou clawed at the hands around his throat as the shaking increased in intensity. "Yami, please, I can't breathe!"_

"Ryou! Ryou, it's just a dream. Wake up!"

His eyes flew open, the shaking stopping a second after the action. Ryou immediately sat up, hands going for his throat to find it unharmed. Heart still pounding, he glanced at where Noa had thrown Yami's body in the dream, thankful that there was no gristly pool of blood on the floor. No Yami. He shuddered at the thought, wrapping his arms around himself. He was surprised when another set of arms pulled him into a hug, not expecting Bakura to be this affectionate.

Because it had to be Bakura. He remembered now, something that he had not remembered in his dream. Noa was right, Yami would never be there to help him again. He was on his own. Tears still refused to come at this thought, the British teen still drained. He let his head drop back against whoever was holding him, preferring not to care at the moment.

"You okay?" Ryou smiled at the worry in the voice, too deep to be Bakura. At any rate, Bakura wouldn't do this, he was sure of that. It was more of Bakura's style to throw something at him, yell at him for waking the thief from his sleep and stumble back into his room. No, maybe Marik had come home.

"Yeah, I was just so scared because there was Noa. And he was threatening to kill me." He squeaked as the hold tightened on him for a moment at the name, relaxing reluctantly after that. "And Yami wasn't coming to save me, because he was dead."

"What do you mean? I'll always come to save you."

Ryou blinked sleepily, tipping his head back as he spoke. "Yeah, but not anymore…"

He trailed off as he saw the outline of his comforter, the silhouette of the spiky hair too familiar to discount. There was no one else that wore their hair like that, no one at all. Ryou spun around, exhaustion blown away by this moment of discovery. He scrambled for his lamp, feeling the arms let go of him in confusion. The light clicked on, revealing a very confused Yami. And Ryou screamed.

"You're a ghost!"

Yami lunged for him in the next moment as Ryou jumped away, falling off the bed with a loud thump. He lay dazed on the ground before scrambling to his feet as Yami jumped off after him. The British teen raced for the door, leaving it wide open in his panicked state. He needed somewhere safe. He adjusted his flight from Bakura's room to the kitchen. He could defend himself now.

Ryou leapt behind the table, screaming as something grabbed his leg and began to drag him back into the open. He scrambled against the smooth floor, hand reaching for a cabinet and opening it, wincing at the ruckus the pots and pans made as they fell to the floor.

The ghost let go of him and backed away, snarling under his breath, "Do you want to wake up Bakura?"

"No." Ryou grabbed a frying pan and swung it at the ghost, watching the surprise play across the familiar red eyes before it connected with the ghost's arm. Ryou dropped the pan as the ghost cursed, cradling his arm. The white-haired teen lunged for the other side of the table, wanting to put as much distance between him and the ghost as possible, but the ghost was faster.

Ryou yelped as he was slammed against the counter, one hand slapping over his mouth as the ghost leaned close, whispering quickly. "I'm not a ghost. I'm not dead." It took a deep breath before leaning back, hand still over Ryou's mouth. "Now, I'm going to take my hand from your mouth and you are not to scream, got it."

He nodded frantically, already thinking of plan B and hating himself for it. As soon as the hand was gone from his mouth, Ryou sucked in a deep breath and screamed. "BAKURA!"

The hand was back over his mouth in a flash. "Oh no, no screaming. Look…" The specter cast around for something, using his free hand to reach back over Ryou's head. The white-haired teen quailed as the ghost's hand returned with a knife. His brown eyes widened in fear. This ghost was going to kill him!

"Look." The knife was brought down on the other arm, cutting into the skin before being thrown off to the side. "Do ghosts bleed?"

Ryou shook his head, the hand releasing him as the owner backed away with a hiss, reaching for a hand towel to wrap around his bleeding arm. "No, ghosts don't bleed."

He watched as the person sighed and walked away, barely noticing the limp in his stride. If this person looked like Yami, then he was Yami. But Yami was dead. But, as that person…Yami had said, ghosts don't bleed. So that meant…

Finally Ryou's mind caught itself up with the series of events, a huge smile breaking across his face as he rushed Yami, hugging him before they both fell to the ground. He ignored the muffled cry of pain, instead preferring to hold his protector and friend close. "Yami, I'm so happy to see you! It was so horrible! I thought…"

He pulled away, hands clamped over his mouth. He watched Yami sit up, noticing how his friend winced, rubbing at his ribs. When Yami was settled Ryou cautiously began to speak again. "I saw the car…and…and then you…your lifeless body, flying through the air. And we waited for you. We waited and you didn't come back. I thought you were dead."

Yami chuckled, looking up at Ryou for the first time in this discussion. "Takes more than that to kill me." He looked back in the direction of Bakura's room, jerking his head in that same direction as he spoke. "I'm surprised we didn't wake up Bakura."

"He's had a rough night." Ryou was looking down at his hands as he fiddled with the rug that they sat on. "We both did."

"Ryou, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to see that. But I'm fine really. Sore, but fine." The reassuring tone in Yami's voice made Ryou smile. Everything was back to normal now. Yami was back, taking care of him where he belonged. The thought grew sour as he looked back up at his friend, realizing what this meant.

"Noa will come after me now."

"No." Yami reached out to grip his shoulders, forcing Ryou to look him in the eyes. "Noa will not touch you."

Yami stood up, letting go of Ryou at the last minute to stretch. "I'm still here and he doesn't know about that. You thought I was dead, so will Noa." The usually calm red eyes suddenly darkened.

"He killed me." Ryou's eyes widened at the confession, confusion entering his mind. He dark look on Yami's face broke as his hand found a gold watch that was hanging around his neck. Yami glanced at the watch and chuckled before looking at Ryou. "Tried to kill me. And for that I'm going to make him suffer, long and slow."

"No." Ryou was shocked at the sound of his own voice, looking around for a moment to see if maybe Bakura had walked into the room. Yami seemed to share his surprise, one hand clutching at the watch around his neck. Ryou ducked his head, hair falling in front of his eyes. "No, we need to hide, lay low for a while until he forgets about us."

"He won't forget." Yami was kneeling in front of him. "And he'll come after you next. We need to make this place safe again, and save the Baroness."

"Yami-"

"No, he should have gone under without me, but he managed to stay afloat, just barely. Don't you think I noticed that most of the customers when we went back were from other casinos? Noa must have spent that time running them out of business. He's just using them to surpass his brother, and I can't let that happen."

"We can help them, just not here. Bakura can take care of himself, but we still need you around."

Yami glared at him, crimson eyes flashing. "We stay here."

"No! Noa's got thugs and guns. They tried to kill you once, they'll try again."

Yami gave a cold laugh, one that sent shivers down Ryou's spine. "Let them."

"You're not a god, Yami!" Ryou clenched his hands into fists, glaring for all he was worth back at his friend. "Noa's got things that we can never have, even if you called in all your favors. He's got a monster for gods' sake, Yami!"

"A monster?"

"Yes, I said monster."

"Monster?" Ryou suddenly quieted, he didn't like the look on Yami's face. His friend rocked back on his heels, studying the wall just behind Ryou for a moment before getting back to his feet. "Come on."

"But…but…" Anything to keep them here where it was safe. "You're soaking wet."

Yami snorted, still heading for the door. "It won't kill me."

_Read and review. Criticism will be greeting with a smile and flames with laughter._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs Go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. All the stuff in between is mine.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Crawling behind Ryou through the ventilation ducts of the _Baroness_ made Yami wish that they had woken Bakura as well. Although, Yami winced as he knocked the cut on his arm against a corner, looking to see how the hand towel was holding up, Bakura would have probably sent him to an early grave again. He shivered at the thought of bleeding out because of multiple knife wounds. Lost in his own nightmare, he bumped into Ryou as the teen came to a stop.

"It should be about here." Yami pushed Ryou aside none too gently, irritated at his friend's nonstop attempts to drag him back home. He was fine, if a little sore and tired. And he needed to do this now before Noa got any inkling that he was back, just in case the idiot really did have a competent information network. Besides, if anything, it would halt the search for those that were close to him.

Yami peered through the slats in the opening, craning his neck at an awkward angle to see the room. His eyes widened at the small, cramped space; a bed shoved carelessly into a corner being the only touch of personality. He quickly made a scan of the room, checking out as much as he could see. His explorations were interrupted by Ryou as the teen tugged at the back of his shirt, the cloth just beginning to dry. "You saw it, can we go?"

He was about to retort when the door to the room flew open, allowing Keith into the room. The blonde thug was dragging a young boy into the room, finally throwing him onto the bed before stomping out, being replaced by Noa and Weevil. The boy scrambled upright on the bed, glaring at the two.

From beside him, he heard Ryou squeak, reacting by clamping a hand over his friend's mouth to block out any more sounds. The kid looked just like him! Well, not just like. This kid had large purple eyes and his hair was missing some of the more wayward bangs that shot up into Yami's hair. But, other than that, it was a perfect match.

Yami leaned forward to get a better look at his doppelganger, noticing the rumpled school uniform that the kid wore, and released Ryou's mouth. He pressed against the grating to hear what was going on, suddenly interested. Was this Noa's monster? Or had Ryou exaggerated in a fit of pique?

"I told you not to go easy on them?"

"If they don't win a few, then they don't play!" The kid crossed his arms and glared at Noa, refusing to back down. "And, certainly, you don't want your business to fail because the customers accuse you of rigging the games?"

"I don't care about the customers! There are always more! Always more people willing to escape hard times!"

"And there are other places for them to go." The kid smiled, the smirk not sitting well on his innocent face. "They'll find them or make them up. You don't own the trade on this stuff."

"I might as well. There is no one left to oppose me! You will work tomorrow, and you will win, end of discussion!" Noa turned, Weevil sticking to his side like glue, and the pair stormed out.

The kid leaned back, looking unconcerned by all of this. "They talk about finding _him_. They know _he's_ fair. Their Phara-" The kid had to dodge a piece of junk thrown at him, huddling under the skimpy cover of the patchwork blanket he used as a shield.

From his place at the door, Noa glared daggers at the boy. "Don't mention him. They can whisper all they want, but they'll never find him." The aqua haired teen yanked open the door, storming out into the hallway and shouting as he disappeared from sight. "Put Rex on guard duty!"

"Seen enough?" Yami jumped at the voice beside him, his head hitting the roof of the duct, having forgotten that Ryou was right beside him.

Rubbing his head, Yami pointed at the kid who was rearranging himself on the bed. "That's Noa's monster."

Ryou shrugged, looking completely innocent. "I overheard a conversation. That's what they call him."

"He must be good." Yami leaned forward, staring openly at the boy. "Noa wouldn't keep him around otherwise, not after a stunt like that. He's perfect."

"What?" Yami ignored Ryou's outburst as he reached for the grate, carefully maneuvering it so he could get out. He felt Ryou grab his arm, careful not to touch the wound on it. "This is stupid. You could get caught."

Yami wiggled out of his friend's grip, expertly removing the grate and setting it further back in the ducts. He glanced below, looking at the stack of boxes that just fell short of the duct, too low for the kid to escape before allowing himself to dangle from the duct. Before he dropped, he looked up at his white haired friend. "Then don't give me away."

He landed on the top of the boxes, almost falling down when one of his legs nearly gave out. He dropped to a crouch, wincing at the pain that ran through his body. If anything, this revenge would cover the pain he was forced to bear from his body's quick repair service. After this, he promised himself, after this he would go back home and rest.

His entrance had not been unnoticed, the boy was looking up from his miserable huddle of blankets, blinking as he tried to figure out what was going on. Yami quickly clambered down the stack of boxes, looking anxiously at the door as Ryou followed his example and dropped into the room. When he was absolutely sure that there would be no response from the guard, Yami motioned for the kid. "Pack your stuff, we're getting you out of here."

To his surprise, there was no argument from the kid, instead, he threw the blanket to the bed and brushed off his jacket before walking over. Yami blinked stupidly at him before gathering his composure and raising and eyebrow. The kid shrugged and looked up at the pile of boxes. "I was kidnapped. They didn't exactly leave me time to get my things."

Yami felt his mask slip, but slapped it back into place. He couldn't get sympathetic toward this kid, he was just a pawn to get back at Noa, there would be a time when Yami would have no more use for him. And then, the kid would be dropped on whoever wanted him. Yami had no time to look after another person. In response to the boy's statement, he shrugged himself and clambered back up the pile of boxes, wincing at the effort it cost him.

He stopped to help the kid a few times, noticing that he was a few inches shorter than him, which sometimes made it difficult for the kid to move quickly over the unstable surface. They paused at the top, boosting Ryou back into the duct before Yami handed up the kid. Under the weight and with the combined exertion, his leg _did_ give out, sending him to his knees with a gasp of pain.

The world blurred around him for a moment, fear making Yami reach out to clutch at the watch, allowing himself be calmed by the steady tick. He was alright, he was still alive. He would survive this. Almost done, almost home. He looked up at the sound of Ryou's voice, unable to quite make out what his friend was saying, but understanding that they needed to get out of there.

Struggling back to his feet, Yami made and awkward jump for the duct, barely catching the edge before hauling himself all the way in. He crawled around Ryou and the kid before collapsing in the duct, shifting around so he was lying on his back. One hand moved to hold the watch, closing his eyes so he could listen to the faint tick.

"Yami?" He opened one eye to see Ryou setting the grate back in place before looking worriedly over at him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just let me catch my breath."

"Rough night?" Yami tilted his head up to look at the kid, amazed how much like himself the kid could look with one eyebrow raised in a question.

"You could say that."

* * *

Yugi stuck close to his rescuers as they slunk through the shadows of the dilapidated neighborhood, wondering how they managed to move so quickly and quietly, even the one with the limp. He, on the other hand, was stumbling along in their wake, barely able to keep up with their longer legs. Well, at least he was out of his prison, and he wasn't complaining about that. But he was glad when his rescuers stopped at one house, another argument going on. This had been happening since they had left the wreck that had been his home for a year and a half.

All the way through the swamp, once they were out of earshot of the boat, the white haired teen had been trying to convince the one that looked like Yugi to leave him behind, to just get out while they had the chance. Yugi dug his nails into his palm at the thought, wondering what had caused this teenager to dislike him so much. He hadn't done anything to hurt them, unless he had caused his doppelganger's collapse earlier. But he honesty didn't weigh that much.

He crept closer, listening to the argument in exasperation.

"It's not safe." This from the white haired teen.

A chuckle from his look-alike. "And why not? Noa has no idea where we live, he would never 'lower' himself to visit this place. Besides, Noa will never suspect us. He'll probably take it out on one of his lackeys. Don't tell me you don't want that."

"Well…no, but I just get the feeling that this will end badly."

The door was shoved open by Yugi's look-alike, standing aside to let Yugi and the white haired teen inside. "And I would trust you on that, if this thing were not foolproof. It will be okay, Ryou. Just trust me."

The white haired teen looked between Yugi and the other teen before walking off, disappearing down a side hallway quickly. Yugi heard a sigh and watched as the other teen pushed a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "Don't worry about him. He's just jumpy because of what happened tonight."

"I thought something happened." When the other looked at him, Yugi shrugged. "That man was too happy when he came to see me for the first time, before my shift. And he kept the casino open. Why would he do that, on the night of the festival, and get so few customers if he wasn't overjoyed about something?"

The other laughed, steering Yugi deeper into the house by his shoulder. "You read Noa very well, especially after such a short time knowing him."

"He held me for almost two years. That's a long time." Yugi almost pulled away, but he found he liked the feeling of being with this person. He felt safe and protected for the first time in a long time; like he had felt before he and his mother had to move, before her death and before his time with Noa.

Yugi held back his shock as the teenager revealed a hidden set of stairs heading down, guiding down into what Yugi assumed was the basement of the house. He held back his reactions to the strange house as his guide moved him through a second living room, hesitating by the couch.

Yugi used the halt to look around, noting the white walls and colorful rugs that were spread around the place. Pillows were tossed carelessly into a corner, most of them horribly mismatched. Perpendicular to the door that allowed Yugi a glimpse of the kitchen was a dark blue couch which looked comfortable enough to sleep on. But, compared to the bed he had dealt with for the last year and a half, a rock was the height of comfort. A coffee table was sitting in front of the sofa and a table was in one of the corners, a framed picture on it.

"You could sleep on the sofa…" He noticed the hesitation in the teenager's voice as he glanced toward one of the doors further down the hallway. Yugi moved to peer at the door, wondering why it had triggered the trepidation. The teenager shook his head and moved off down the hall, Yugi tagging after him. "On second thought, wouldn't want Bakura finding you."

"He isn't sleeping with me." Ryou had stuck his head out of what was apparently his room with a glare. "And Marik would go crazy if you stuck him in his room, since we don't know when he will be back."

"Fine." The teenager shot a glare at Ryou before steering Yugi toward the end of the hall. "He'll sleep with me."

Yugi found himself propelled into the room, standing stock still just to the right of the door as the teenager walked forward to hunt for something in an overstuffed closet before storming back into the hallway and ducking into the open door of the bathroom. Yugi took the moment alone to look around the room, curiosity winning over the tough, callous personality that Yugi had worked so hard to maintain during his captivity.

The room was a dark red, making it look smaller than it really was. A dark wooden desk was by the bed, doubling as a bed side table. It was the only other furniture in the room other than the bed. The bed itself looked antique and was close to the color of the desk; black sheets and dark red pillows completing the look of the room. Overall, it was a place that was not designed to be lived in, just visited for brief hours; which told him something about his rescuer.

"Here." The sweatpants that were thrown at him, along with the voice, made him jump in surprise. He held the hastily caught pants, watching as his doppelganger moved around the room, stopping when he spotted something hidden by a fold in the rumpled sheets. The teenager picked the object up with a smile, turning his body so that Yugi couldn't see it properly, back facing him. "I won't look if that's what you're worried about."

Yugi blushed and quickly stripped, hauling on the sweatpants that were a bit too big for him. He threw his school uniform into a corner and quickly rolled up the hems of the pants that brushed the floor. That done, he crossed his arms over his bare chest suddenly feeling very exposed. The teenager merely peeked over his shoulder before flopping onto his bed with a groan, eyes fluttering shut.

Yugi stood in place, shifting uncomfortably for a minute. For once, he was unsure of what to do. But, in truth, he hadn't had much practice thinking on his feet lately. He had been stuck in a rut for a while and it would take him a while to readjust to the world outside; where one did not have to hide under a mask of self confidence that one did not have.

"You can come over here if you want to. I'm not going to bite." The jovial tone snapped him out of his thoughts, encouraging Yugi to move over to the bed, cautiously getting under the sheets on the other side of the teenager. He remained on his side, facing away from his host, tensing when he felt the mattress shift. "You can relax, Noa is not going to get you here."

"How…"

A tug on his shoulder send him rolling onto his back. Yugi found himself looking up into serious crimson eyes, half of his mind musing on the beauty of the color. He snapped out of his dazed musings as his host began to talk again. "Because I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe until you're okay to go back to…wherever you belong."

"Where I belong…" Yugi found himself dumbly repeating what the teenager said, suddenly feeling lost in his own skin. He had nowhere to go, his mother was dead and he had no idea where he was. His grandfather could be anywhere, or even dead himself. There was no other family that he knew of. Yugi tried to curl up on himself, but the gentle hold of the teenager kept him on his back. Unable to physically get away, Yugi looked away, instead focusing on the dark walls that surrounded him.

What he really wanted was to find a safe place where he could rebuild himself. He hated the personality that he had come up with, the callous, self assured youth who could stand up to Noa and his goons was not the person he wanted to be. He wanted to go back to the way things were, before all of this. He had spent what seemed like too long protecting himself. He wanted a short while of someone looking after him.

At least until he figured out who Yugi really was now.

Could he really return to who he was before; the person who always forgave and forgot, the person with the generous heart and the huge smile?

"What's your name?" The question startled him out of his twisting path of thought, bright purple eyes darting up to get lost in crimson again. Yugi blushed and looked away again.

"Yugi. Yugi Mutou."

The hands released him, allowing him to settle into any position he desired. Yugi glanced over at the teen, watching as he carefully arranged limbs. He hesitated before voicing his own question. "And yours?"

"Atemu Seti. Yami to friends."

"Oh." Yugi snuggled into the bed, sighing and nearly drifting off right there. But something nagged at the corner of his mind, digging at him until he shifted and glanced back over at the teenager. "Thank you for doing all of this Atemu."

"Call me Yami," came the sleepy reply. Yugi smiled to himself before moving back to his comfortable place. His eyes slowly began to droop, drawing him deep into sleep.

_At first, it was a happy place; a park. And his mother was there, waving and gesturing for him to hurry over. Yugi stared at the checked blanket and basket for a minute before a bright smile lit up his face. A picnic! They hadn't had one in years!_

_He broke into a run, waving at his mother in return. But, even as he ran, his mother was getting farther and farther away. Yugi gave a short exhalation of surprise before trying to run faster. Except that something was holding him back, pulling him from the ground. _

_Yugi turned around, screaming as Noa hauled him from the ground and threw Yugi over his shoulder. He tumbled through the air, landing with a thud on the warn mattress of his prison. Yugi sat up gasping, trembling as he realized it had all been a dream. His mother, Ryou and Yami, all of it. _

_He wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering as he held back tears. His was fifteen for gods' sake! He should be able to make it through the day without sobbing his guts out. But still the tears came, flowing until his whole body was trembling from them._

Yugi startled awake as an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him back against a warm chest, wincing at the tiny circle of cold that pressed against his bare back. He prepared to wiggle away, knowing that it was better to just forget the happy and horrible images of the dream and pretend that the whole thing didn't happen. It was his coping mechanism when dealing with glimpses back into his past.

When Yugi tried to push away, the arm tightened, keeping him close. "Easy Ryou." Yugi stopped all movement, trying to look over his shoulder without moving any part of his body. His sudden calm seemed to satisfy Yami, because he gave a sleepy hum before continuing. "It's okay. Just a dream. You're safe."

Yugi waited until Yami was settled back into sleep, planning to move as soon as that was accomplished. Instead, he found himself dropping off too, enjoying the feeling of being cuddled; of being safe. Yugi gave a wry smile as he slipped into sleep. Yami and Ryou would probably lovers, which was why the white haired teen was annoyed at him.

With that minor problem solved, Yugi felt himself drift off to sleep, turning to his other side to snuggle properly into the other teenager.

* * *

Ryou reclined on the sofa in the lower living room, staring at his book without really comprehending what he was reading. He finally gave up, setting the book aside and staring at the ceiling. He should be asleep, happily asleep instead of the nightmare ridden sleep that he had glimpsed before. Yami was back, wasn't that what he wanted?

And yet, here he was, splayed out on the sofa where that kid was supposed to be and still wide awake. He growled to himself, unwilling to scream in frustration in case he woke Bakura.

That kid was bad news, he knew that. If Noa had been keeping him when he had been disregarding his orders, than the kid was something special. Yami was wrong if he thought that Noa would lose interest in this kid as quickly as his other projects. No, Noa was going to tear this side of the river apart just to find his prisoner.

And that was putting Yami directly in the line of danger once again. Ryou had thought he had lost him once already; he was not ready to face losing him for real.

The white haired teen wrapped his arms around himself, shivering at the thought. It had felt so terrible before, too terrible to think back properly on. He would just bury those few hours in the back of his mind, right alongside the memories of the time his mother and sister had died and the memories of his father's disappearance. He had lost too many people before, he didn't want to loose the only one that seemed to be a stable thing in his life.

He raised his head to look in the direction of Yami's room, fighting the urge to walk down the hall and look to see if his friend was alright; to disprove of this as another nightmare. Because, if it was, he didn't want to wake up from this one. He would rather live in this world than one where Yami was not alive.

Ryou felt a flash of jealousy as he remembered who was with Yami. And he was taken aback with the strength of the emotion. He wasn't in love with Yami, he knew that for certain. Bakura was the one who held his interest, not matter how loudly that his head screamed that it was stupid for him to love the thief.

But Yami was his best friend, the closest thing he had to family, his big brother. Of course he loved him, but nothing further than the love of a friend and brother. And he was jealous because…

Ryou felt his mouth drop open in shock as he further analyzed himself, almost ready to shake off the conclusion as something ridiculous, just because he didn't like it. But he forced himself to face it because he was strong enough to; strong enough to face anything. He swallowed and looked away from the room, instead staring down at his hands.

He was jealous of the kid because it felt like he was being replaced by Yami; that Yami no longer wanted him around, no longer wanted to protect him, and wanted this kid instead. But Ryou knew that wasn't true. Rationally he knew that Yami trusted him to handle himself but would always rush to his rescue. But feelings weren't completely rational.

Ryou smiled to himself before looking at the clock, feeling slightly more at ease with himself. It was still too early to do anything, especially since everyone in the household would be out for a long time yet. He shrugged and stretched, almost tempted to try and sleep again, but was afraid that the dreams would come back. And he didn't want Yami waking up to comfort him.

He had seen how Yami and been limping all evening. Sometimes even stopping, like he was having trouble breathing and wincing when he took too big of a breath or moved in a certain way. Ryou bit his lip as he thought over Yami's behavior. He should have noticed it before now and done something about it, but too late. It would probably blow over in the morning, remnants from his escape from Noa's bungled scheme.

Resigning himself to a long night and an even longer day ahead of him, Ryou picked up his book and began reading it, finally at peace enough to make some progress.

* * *

"What?" Weevil winced away from the desk. Noa didn't even have to yell to show that he was displeased. He backed away from the desk, eyes widening behind his glasses as Noa stood up to come around the desk. "What do you mean he is gone?"

"Well….um….you see-"

"Stop your stuttering." Noa waved him away, quickly circling back around the desk to sit and glare at Weevil. He watched his lackey squirm, wanting to do more than glare. "On the one night everything went right, everything was perfect, you let one thing go wrong."

"It's not my fault! You put Rex in charge of the kid."

"You're right. I did." Noa sat up, his gaze still not abating. "But I am putting _you_ in charge of finding him again. Got it?"

Weevil nodded and rushed out of the office, leaving Noa to tap impatiently on the surface of the desk; a habit that Seto would never have condoned. It had all gone so well, right up to this moment. Noa rolled his shoulders before sitting up, still tapping impatiently. At least there was some joy to get out of this night.

For one, all his competitors were nearly out of business. Sure a few still tried to run their casinos, but they were going downhill fast. They just didn't have the draw that he had. Second, the Baroness was more profitable than ever. Sure, the ship looked like a dump, but leaving it like such had allowed the profit margin to grow. Third, and most importantly, his partner was gone. He didn't have to share profits anymore. And, when the news went through the denizens of the shady side of Domino that he had killed Yami, he would be more respected than ever.

Noa leaned back in his chair with a sigh, bringing his head to rest behind his head. Focus on the silver lining in the clouds. Because Seto never did.

* * *

_Finally, some stuff with Yugi and Yami in the same scene. _

_Read and review please. Flames will be laughed at while criticism will be highly enjoyed._


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, All Dogs Go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between I own.

**Warnings:** language, just one instance. Blame Bakura.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Yami pulled the sleeveless shirt over his head, sighing in relief as his torso didn't protest the move. He straightened the watch that still hung around his neck, giving the engraved image a brief rub with his thumb in thanks. He looked up abruptly at the smell of bacon drifting through the house, a treat since Marik was a vegetarian; the habit springing from a bad experience with farm animals.

Yami smiled and made for the door, wincing as one leg continued to bother him. He wondered briefly if that was where the car first struck him, or if that one leg had its healing interrupted by his wild adventures the rest of the night. He shrugged to himself before stepping out of the bathroom, taking a brief moment to stare into his room.

A smile curled across his face as he looked in at the sleeping occupant. Yugi had curled around his pillow now that he was up, burrowing his face into the object as he slept on. In the time since Yami had woken up and completed his shower, Yugi had managed to muss the covers into a little nest. Yami smirked and leaned against the door, remembering a time when he used to do this with Ryou. The thought was immediately shaken out of his head as he turned toward the smell of breakfast, finding that he still had to lean heavily against the wall.

Yugi was _not_ the same as Ryou, the kid was totally different. Yugi was only here until Noa was ruined, and then he was out. Heck, Yami wouldn't stick out his neck to care for the kid if he got into a tight spot. Yugi was not an excuse to go running back into trouble; running back through those pearly gates he despised so much. Yugi was simply here for revenge. And he had to keep telling himself that, keep up that barrier between him and the kid.

He stumbled out into the living room, smiling as Ryou waved from the kitchen. "Hungry?"

"Starving." He took a step forward, falling onto his knees when his leg refused to cooperate again. He growled to himself and tried to hoist himself up, falling back to the floor again. Yami was about to give into the urge to lay there for a few more minutes when Ryou pulled him up into a kneeling position. His friend looked him over before lending him a hand.

Yami smiled, the expression wavering as he had to lean Ryou and the British teen led him to the couch. He was about to protest when Ryou suddenly let him go, sending him tumbling backward onto the couch. "You got hit by a car last night and then went running all over creation; no wonder you're still sore. Stay here."

"Yes, mother." Yami grumbled out the words, wincing when Ryou called back from the kitchen, "I can hear you there!"

He consigned himself to being mothered, settling himself into an upright position on the couch. Ryou returned to the living room, depositing a plate in his lap before setting a glass of orange juice on the table. He gave Yami a faked stern look. "I'll let you eat in here, for now. But if you get anything on the couch, you're cleaning it! Sore or not!"

"You're too kind, Ryou." His friend continued the act, bouncing back down the hallway toward the bathroom, shouting a brief "I know!" over his shoulder before disappearing.

Yami sighed, spending a moment staring up at the ceiling before digging into his breakfast, enjoying the usually forbidden fare of bacon. Of course, Marik was usually out during the lunch and dinner hours, mostly because it was his turn to cook. But bacon didn't seem to taste right later in the day. He soon found himself staring down at his empty plate in a sort of contemplative misery, draining the last of his orange juice in one gulp.

Sated, he shifted so he was lying on his back, the still warm plate resting on his stomach and bringing comforting warmth to him. _This_ is what he would have been missing in heaven, these slow mornings lying about and listening to the rest of his housemates wake up. Hearing the sound of the shower in the background and Ryou attempting to sing, thinking erroneously that no one could hear him in the bathroom; not that anyone would tell him that. Taking in the scent of food cooking or sitting out for Bakura when the thief finally stumbled from his bedroom for food. Just the little things that were never missed until they were gone.

A door slammed in the background, but Yami was far too comfortable to go investigate the sound. By the ferocity of it, Bakura had finally stirred from his cave, making directly for food and coffee to wake him up. Yami shifted to put the plate on the coffee table that had been placed in front of the couch before letting his eyes fall halfway closed, watching the thief make for the kitchen, taking the same route every morning because it saved him a single stride.

Unfortunately, the thief instantly woke the rest of the way up when he saw Yami sprawled out on the couch. Yami hastily sat up, staring at Bakura and nonverbally daring him to attack him now. What surprised him the most was the way Bakura was backing up slowly, glancing back down the hall toward the bedrooms. Bakura finally looked back down at him, hands clenching into fists. "What are you doing here?"

"It's my house, if you've forgotten."

"No." Bakura stalked over, glaring down at Yami. The teenager suddenly wanted nothing more than to be able to run away, but his pride wouldn't allow it. Yami pulled himself up as far as he could, meeting Bakura's angry russet eyes.

"No, what?"

He felt the breath rush out of him as he was pushed back into the couch, one hand reaching up on impulse to hold the watch; to make sure that it was till ticking. To make sure that his heart was still beating. Yami felt panic rush over him as he struggled to take a breath with Bakura pressing down on his chest. It was just like before, when he was in the water. When he couldn't breathe. He didn't want to die now!

Yami thrashed in the hold, calming when nails dug into his arm causing pain to lance through his arms. That was good, the pain. Pain meant that he was still alive. Panting, Yami glared up at Bakura, anger replacing the panic. "Get off of me, now."

"No. Not until you tell me what is going on."

"Bakura, it's me."

"Is that what you told Ryou?" Yami's mouth dropped open as he tried to keep up with Bakura's train of thought. The thief gave him another shake, now growling his words out. "That's it, isn't it. That bastard Noa planned this from the start. Well I'll tell you this, just because the Pharaoh isn't here doesn't mean that Ryou is unprotected. He's got me! You remember that!"

"Bakura, what are you talking about?" Yami struggled upright, finally managing to push Bakura from him and stand up. He wavered before reaching out to hold onto the back of the couch. "I'm Yami!"

"He was hit by a car last night!" Bakura was back on his feet already, pacing in front of Yami. But it was more like stalking his prey. Yami shuffled closer to the couch, ready to jump over the furniture to keep himself from more harm. "We both saw you get hit! We waited for you!"

"I swam to the other side."

"Not with that hit, impossible." Bakura was moving closer, Yami beginning to feel closed in. "There would have been no way that you had enough limbs functioning to swim. And, even if you were lucky enough to still be able to swim, we would have seen you. Tell me another one, I dare you."

"Listen, Bakura, I'm not in the mood for this." Yami growled out the words, falling back onto the couch instead of letting his leg give out again. "I swear it's me. I'm perfectly fine."

The sound of a door opening made the two spring apart, two sets of eyes following Ryou and he trudged back into the kitchen. Bakura looked between Yami and Ryou, obviously struggling to make a decision. The thief leaned down and grabbed a handful of Yami's shirt, hauling him up to eyelevel and glaring down at him. "I don't trust you. There is something else going on here, and I will find out what it is. I will _not_ have you hurting Ryou."

Yami shoved him off, watching the thief carefully as he walked toward the kitchen. "Since when did you care?"

"Since there was no one else to protect him."

"I'm here!" Yami was on his feet with clenched fists, wishing that he felt well enough to pound some sense into Bakura's head. "I'll protect him like always!"

Bakura just snorted in reply before walking into the kitchen and snatching up his food. The thief disappeared from sight as he moved out of the line of vision afforded by the doorway, leaving Yami to stew on his own.

"What was that all about?" Yami turned around to see Yugi leaning against the back of the couch, still only in the borrowed sweatpants. Yami shrugged off the question, distracted by the kid's sudden appearance. Yugi matched his shrug before glancing down at himself. "Um…would you have any clothes that might fit me?"

Yami nodded, using the couch as support as he walked over to Yugi. He was about to brave the journey back up the hall when Ryou came out of the kitchen, pausing to look at Yami. "What's next?"

Yami smiled at the easy slip back into the familiar routine. He leaned back, thankful for the furniture behind him. "We go see what casinos are still trying to conduct business and find someone loyal who won't betray us to Noa."

"Is that smart?" Ryou was shifting uncomfortably, which meant that he was about to tell Yami that this whole thing felt wrong.

"What do you want us to do until then? Food won't pay for itself. Besides, there are others that need our help. We need to be sure that our few friends won't be targets for Noa next. As long as he thinks I'm out of the way, who knows what he will do."

"Palace of Thebes is still running." Yami jerked to attention at the sound of Bakura's voice, staring at the thief that lounged in the doorway to the kitchen. "And Mahad and Mana are as loyal as they come."

It was unspoken between the two of them that Bakura also had a lot of contacts there. The silent threat behind the words was that Yami would be watched.

Yami did his best to glare back while ushering Yugi back into his room to find clothes for the boy.

* * *

Yugi stared up at the building made to look like an Egyptian palace, his mind going back to the stories he remembered his grandfather telling him based off his own adventures in Egypt. He smiled a bit, feeling much more at home with the sight of something familiar. Still, he stuck close to Yami as they entered the building, not surprised to find it nearly empty after the festival the night before.

What did surprise Yugi was the way Yami pulled him off to one side, dragging him down a corridor to knock on the wooden door at the end of it. Yugi swallowed and glanced back, surprised only to see Ryou behind them. Bakura must have slipped off earlier when he was not looking. But Yugi was relieved that the white haired thief was gone. He had been glaring at Yami all morning, his words laced with threats.

He was pulled from his relief as the door opened, revealing a girl about his height with brown hair and brown eyes. He got a glimpse of a white blouse and skirt before the girl yelped and slammed the door in their faces.

Yugi glanced up at Yami, amused that the teenager seemed annoyed by the girl's behavior. The older teen reached out and knocked on the door again, more forcefully. This time, instead of opening slowly, it was thrown back.

The man that waited for them stood with his brown eyes wide open in shock, staring fixedly at Yami before backing into the room. Yami followed him, still dragging Yugi along behind him. It was only when Ryou shut the door that the man began to talk.

"But Noa said…he passed the word along this morning…he said…"

"Can you really believe one like Noa?" Yami raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

The man gave a harsh laugh, finally moving to sit down. "I guess not. But it is good to know that you were not killed."

Yami gave a quick shrug, like rumors of his death were nothing new. But Yugi saw his hand go to the watch that hung around his neck, stroking the surface of it as the conversation continued.

"What brings you to our place, Pharaoh?" The nickname was accompanied by a teasing tone of voice. Yugi froze at the mention of the name, his eyes widening. So Yami was the one that the customers had talked about, the one that they wanted back. The small teen looked over at his counterpart, blushing as he was treated to a wink as Yami noticed him staring.

"Well, I need to be sure that my kingdom remains stable while I hide, at least until all this blows over."

The man chuckled, the warm sound relaxing Yugi. "You were never one for sitting back and waiting."

"No. But I do need you to do a few things for me."

"Ask away."

Yami smirked and leaned back in his seat. "I want to make sure that those Noa is most likely to go after are safe. You know the ones I mean; I can watch over Ryou. And," Yami glanced over at Yugi, the motion bringing the man's attention to the smaller teen, "I need something to occupy this one's time until Noa forgets about him."

"Anything else?"

Yugi gulped before, shuffling forward in his seat, bringing the attention back to him. He felt Yami's gaze on the back of his neck, shivering as it seemed to become angry before Yami controlled his temper. "I was wondering if you could tell me where I was and how far it would be from here to Domino. I…I want to be able to got home after all of this is over."

The man's gaze softened before he nodded. "Luckily, you are in Domino, but I am guessing that you belong on the other side of the river. You don't look like one who has survived a lifetime on this side of the river."

Yugi nodded his thanks, jumping as Ryou placed a hand on his shoulder and began to steer him from the room. The smaller teen looked back at Yami, who waved him on. "Go and try your hand at some of the games. Give Mahad a reason to hire you."

He nodded in reply to the command, letting Ryou lead him back out of the hallway. He had barely begun to contemplate why Yami had been so angry when he had spoke up when he was distracted by the games, moving gracefully among the tables to watch as the few customers tried their luck.

* * *

Yami watched Yugi disappear as the door shut behind him, one hand still clenched around the watch. The sound of Mahad clearing his throat startled him out of his daze, automatically turning back to the man that had called for his attention.

"And the boy is for?"

"Nothing but revenge." He waved away the shock on Mahad's face, almost daring the other to speak against him. "I just want to keep him close to make Noa suffer; he did try to kill me after all."

"But he is merely a child."

"Yes, a child from _that_ side of the river. He doesn't belong here anyway." Yami shifted his gaze away from Mahad, wincing when the man let out a knowing sigh.

"Atemu," Yami flinched at the name, "Yami, I know why you are doing this."

"I told you, revenge."

"It's the same reason you took in Ryou."

Yami's eyes widened, shaking his head at the same time. "No. This is totally different. And don't compare him to Ryou."

"Yami, this is just what you do." Yami glared up at his friend, wanting him to stop talking but realizing that he wouldn't until he had had his say. "You take those who need your protection and keep them safe, no matter what happens."

"This is the one exception."

"You take them in because it's what's right. And that is why we call you Pharaoh, not for any of the other reasons that you may think. But you always do this."

"Do what?" The words were snapped out, strengthened by the glare that Yami threw after them.

"You put up a barrier between yourself and them because, when they leave, as they must, you don't want to be hurt. You don't want to think there will ever be a time when they will not need you." Mahad gestured to the door. "Ryou's close to that point. I'm sure he would be fine out in the world."

"No!" Yami fought the urge to storm out of the room, instead quivering in his seat. He couldn't bear the thought of Ryou leaving, the one person who felt like family. His best friend…and his little brother. He wouldn't be able to deal with that. Ryou had grown too close over the years they had known each other.

"I'm sure Ryou would survive." Mahad chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "But he won't leave unless you tell him to. He's attached as well and very loyal. Don't worry about him, Pharaoh; he will not leave your side. But the boy, he's the one that scares you."

Yami leaned back in his seat, hand releasing the watch for a moment before clamping back onto it, not wanting to let go. Not wanting to give up the feel of the steady ticking. He glanced at Mahad, a challenge in his eyes. "And why do you think that?"

"Because the boy does not need to be protected. I can see that well enough."

"I picked him up for revenge, as I said." Yami got to his feet, hissing out the words as he walked to the door. "And when I'm done with him, I'll stick him out in the cold somewhere, maybe even give him to one of my other friends. Why give up such a prize to a wasted life on the other side of the river?"

He stopped under the steady stare of Mahad, shifting slightly in his nervousness before speaking again. "Will you do as I ask?"

"Yes." The man stood up from his own chair, walking over to the overflowing desk and glaring at it. "On the condition that you help me run this place. I've never been that great at it on my own, and with the pressure from Noa, I don't know what to do sometimes."

Yami chuckled, his jovial mood being coaxed back. "Of course."

He was about to leave when Mahad's voice stopped him in his tracks. "The boy demands something from you, doesn't he? It isn't the protection or the family that you usually supply. It's something else. You can feel it, and it scares you."

"Mahad," Yami looked at the watch his still held in his hand, "I have a lot to worry about right now. And one boy means nothing in the grand scheme of things. I think my conscious can live with this decision."

He strode out of the office, slipping easily through the curtains that obscured the passage and into the game room. He scanned the crowd, easily finding his look-alike and Ryou talking to one of the dealers. Yami smiled and walked over, sticking to the shadows of the room for as long as he could. Fortunately, the place was nearly empty and those who were here were still reeling from the festival the night before. Yami smirked as he leaned against the table and surveyed the room, nudging Ryou as he did so. "I fear that we're corrupting a kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Yami glanced over at Yugi, surprised at the vehemence in his voice. "I'm fifteen years old!"

The older teen couldn't help but smile at Yugi, reminding somewhat of himself before he shook himself out of it. Yugi wasn't going to be sticking around long, he reminded himself. As Mahad had said, Yami enjoyed helping others learn to help themselves, it was a weird quirk that he had never grown out of. But, as pointed out before, Yugi didn't need his help. So why was a part of him worried about pushing the boy away? He gave a mental shrug before pushing away from the table. "I'll be in the office when business picks up, don't want to be draw too much attention to ourselves."

"Like Yugi won't?" Yami had to smile at the bite in Ryou's voice, glad that the British teen hadn't been totally destroyed by his death and resurrection.

"We'll stick him in some far off corner in the shadows. Simple as that. Play fairly, Yugi; Mahad doesn't look kindly on cheaters." Yami gave Yugi's hair a quick ruffle, just to annoy him, before sauntering off.

* * *

"Investigators in the case recently said that the suspect that they had held in jail before, Atemu Seti, was in fact innocent of the crime they charged him with." Solomon listened to the reporter with half an ear, carefully straightening the pictures along his mantle. He hesitated over one, bringing it down to him to look at more closely. A six-year-old Yugi was grinning at the camera as he faced his grandfather over a chessboard, waving at his mother as she held the camera. The old man stared at the picture for a while more before replacing it with a sigh.

"A careful search led to Seto Kaiba, who denied all allegations placed at his feet. He was declared clear of all suspicion earlier today, leaving only Atemu missing." Solomon looked mournfully at the television screen. So another boy had gone missing, the one that they had accused of taking his Yugi and killing his daughter. Well, he hoped that there was someone out there to help him.

Solomon made his way over to turn off the television, prepared to go down into his shop. He paused as he saw a familiar mop of blonde hair make its way around toward the game shop. A smile lit up his face and he moved faster, switching off the television as the reporter began the next story. "A car was found this morning at the bottom of Domino Harbor-"

The elderly man eagerly walked down the stairs into his store, waving at the teenager that waited outside. He snatched his broom from where it rested against the wall by the door, stepping outside and switching the sign from closed to open. "Morning Joey."

Joey Wheeler nodded in response to the greeting, stretching his back out before running a hand through his messy hair. "Mornin' Gramps."

After knowing Solomon Mutou for practically all his life, the elderly man allowed Joey to call him by the informal name that seemed to have spread to all the children in the neighborhood. Not that he minded, but it did hurt a little more when a child, with a voice so much like his grandson, called him grandpa.

Solomon leaned on his broom, looking up at the tall teenager. "What brings you here today?"

"Well," Joey scratched the back of his head, "I know ya' got some new stuff, but no time to put it away before that festival so…"

"Care to lend a hand?" The subject was always danced around. Joey would always come around when Solomon had gotten a new delivery, the storeroom needed cleaning or it the elder had just gotten groceries. He didn't even need to look for the messy mop of hair on those days, just knowing to hold the door open a little longer or open a few minutes earlier on those days.

Joey nodded and walked into the store, quickly glancing at the labeled boxes before getting to work, leaving Solomon to sweep the pavement outside his store. The elderly man began the steady back and forth movements of the broom, letting his mind drift away as he worked.

It was nice to have Joey around, it kept him from getting too lonely. And the teenager needed him too. His father was too drunk most of the time to even know of his son's existence and his mother and sister were away in one of the other cities. Joey would never say which. But Solomon was a stable figure in Joey's life, someone to be proud of him when his father would only curse and send him away. It was a scanty comfort, but far better than having to disappear into the district across the river. Solomon shivered at the thought; Joey was far too nice a kid to be over there. Joey might be rough around the edges and more than eager to get into fights, but that district was tougher than any kid in the proper sections of Domino could imagine.

Besides, what Joey was doing was honorable. Solomon returned his thoughts to the blonde teenager instead of brooding on the section of Domino across the river. Joey was trying his hardest to keep his drunken father afloat, working nearly constantly to pay off debts and keep himself in school. Solomon cast a smile over his shoulder at the boy, returning to what little inner peace he could gather this day.

But his thoughts kept drifting back to that one teenager that had disappeared. The one accused of kidnapping his son.

* * *

"I am looking, Bakura, but I see nothing." The white haired thief snarled at the information that was given to him, tapping impatiently on the table.

"Then look again."

The mystic sighed at the demand, but closed her eyes and searched again. Finally, she shook her head. "I see nothing wrong with the Pharaoh."

Bakura stood up abruptly, the chair he had been occupying scurrying across the room. He stomped toward the door, eager to begin his work instead of skulking around and trying to find out what was wrong the Yami. And it was all because of Ryou.

Why was he suddenly interested in him?

He hadn't been before, not that he had noticed. But, then again, Ryou had constantly been with Yami; nothing more than another body crowding the hallway and hogging the shower. And then Yami had been framed and Bakura found himself spending more time with Ryou, more time than he wanted to honestly. But somehow, it had been alright because…because it was Ryou.

Just because it was Ryou.

Bakura felt the urge to throw something, hopefully a knife, at another person to relieve his frustration. He wasn't used to this kind of indecision, these other feelings that Ryou forced him to feel. He was used to doing exactly what he wanted to do, no matter what the consequences because he honestly couldn't care about others. But now, more often than not, he found himself hesitating over actions; wondering if Ryou would be hurt by them as well.

It was getting ridiculous.

Like this, for example. Wasting time that he could have spent wandering the streets of Domino and marking possible victims, maybe even snatching a few things when no one was looking. But he was here instead, consulting a mystic that he didn't even fully trust. And only to hear what everyone else had been telling him all along. There was nothing wrong with the Pharaoh; it was really him, not some henchman of Noa.

But something was still nagging at him. Something that screamed at him to notice the obvious. Something that he kept missing, must to his chagrin.

Bakura rubbed his hand across his face before forcing himself to turn and walk toward the river. He wasn't going to follow these dead ends any longer. He would keep his ears open for any helpful information, but he wouldn't actively pursue them. But, he would still keep a close eye on Ryou, ready to pull the British teen from any trouble that the Pharaoh caused. Especially since they had dragged in that pet of Noa's.

He narrowed his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets. Yes, that kid of Noa's would be watched as well. Bakura didn't like to think that he would be roused from his sleep by a vengeful business partner. For now, that was all that he could do.

And that fact irked Bakura to no end.

* * *

Rex found himself pulled abruptly to one side, the change of direction interrupting his usually calm stroll to the _Baroness_. He roughly shoved the hand from his sleeve, turning to glare at the one who had dared to treat him in this manner. The anger in his eyes diminished a bit as he recognized Weevil, but made up for the slight softening by snorting in disbelief. "What are you doing here? If I were you, I wouldn't show my face around here until you find that kid."

Weevil seemed to struggle for words for a minute, sputtering in his frustration before smacking Rex on the shoulder. "I don't plan to. What do you take me for, an idiot? I just came here for your help."

"I thought that this was your big break." Rex strolled away, throwing a smirk over his shoulder. "At least, that's what you were boasting about before."

"Yes, well…" The tone of Weevil's voice carried a warning with it. Rex paused, hesitating between turning back around or continuing his walk, finally settling for the former. He spun to watch as Weevil adjusted his glasses, a sure sign that something was going to happen. Something that wouldn't be good for him.

As Weevil noticed he had the other's attention, he smiled. "Since you let the kid escape, it wouldn't hurt if you helped find him. For all you know, Noa might send you after Yami after your next mess up."

The implication that the event would not be long in coming made Rex bristle before he forced himself to relax, seeing the wisdom in what Weevil offered. It would not hurt his standing with their boss if he helped out. It might even offer a chance to raise his status. And, even better, a chance to ruin Weevil if the bespectacled teen _did_ mess up.

Rex smiled and offered his hand for a shake. "Deal."

* * *

_Read, enjoy and review. Criticism will be greeted with a smile and flames with maniacal laughter. Also, thank you to all who have reviewed. Each one of you make my day when I read what you have to say._


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Monopoly or Heaven's Not Enough, they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between in mine.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

The Saturday morning started out like all the others in the house. Ryou would attempt to get up early and start breakfast, only to end up spread over the couch, fast asleep. Bakura wouldn't even show his face until late afternoon; which pretty much left Yami with the house to himself in the mornings.

Usually he tried to catch up with the casino records that he had let slip, much preferring to let Noa have a chance to do the work or try and read a book, a feat that Bakura constantly tormented him about. Apparently he didn't look intelligent enough to read the books he was found sprawled out with.

Now, he could do neither. Instead, he was leaning back against the couch, sitting against the back of it while he stared up at the ceiling. The book he was attempting to read had slipped from his hands, landing spine up to form a little triangle. He just couldn't concentrate on anything right now, especially after the dream last night.

Yami groaned and let his head rest against his knees. The night before, the night of his death, he had two nightmares to deal with and a good night of sleep. Now, when he was looking forward to another good sleep, hoping to get rid of the last aches and pains, these nightmares were springing themselves on him.

He shut his eyes, hand straying to clutch his watch as the images replayed themselves in his mind, making him shiver at times.

_It was dark, a kind of deep darkness that seemed impossible to penetrate with light. He stumbled forward, searching for something. Hoping to brush against anything familiar. Anything to lead him from the darkness that ate at him._

_A flare of light off to the side made him turn around, peering into the darkness with narrowed eyes and little success. Yami shrugged to himself, ready to continue when more light flared around him, bathing him in a sinister red glow as columns of fire burst from the ground. He tried to back off, jumping as more columns appeared around him._

_Yami found himself trapped in a circle of fire that was steadily growing smaller. He flinched backward, falling onto his knees as he watched the circle constrict. The watch around his neck began to feel too hot against his body, burning as he struggled to get it off. Instead of tearing it off, he only managed to open it, letting that horrible voice echo out. _

"_Atemu, you can never go back. You can never-"It got cut off as the fire finally reached him, burning as he screamed._

Yami jerked his head up suddenly as someone touched his shoulder. He relaxed a bit when he saw Yugi there, letting out the breath he had been holding. He could feel his hand cramping around the watch, but couldn't let it go, not after experiencing the dream again.

"Heard you had a nightmare." Yugi sat down beside him after carefully picking up the book he had been reading and slipping the bookmark back in.

"Yeah." Yami gave a cold chuckle. "You and the rest of the house probably."

They descended into awkward silence as Yami stared glumly at the nearest wall and Yugi fiddled with the sleeve of his jacket. Yami gave up his staring contest with the wall, too tired to keep it up, deciding instead to slump back against the couch and close his eyes. He was almost afraid to, fearing that he would slip back into another nightmare.

His hand sought out his watch again, only half aware that he had dropped it when he had moved. His fingers curled around the circular piece of metal, brushing over the engraving. He frowned as they ran over the eye in the center of the pyramid. Wasn't that an _udjat_? Didn't those protect their owners? Why did this one refuse to work?

Was it because he had taken it without the permission of that annoying angel?

Yami shook his head to banish the thoughts before standing up and walking into the kitchen, intent on pouring himself a glass of something to drink. He heard the faint sound of feet as Yugi cautiously followed him. Yami walked right up to the fridge, opening the door and retrieving the orange juice, the first carton that came to hand. He shuffled back to the table, setting it down before turning for glasses, conscious striking at him. "Do you want some?"

Yugi jumped at the sudden acknowledgement of his presence. "Um…sure."

Two glasses were poured and the carton returned to the fridge before Yami flopped down into an empty chair, staring at his drink. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Yugi fiddling with the deck of cards that was kept on the table for the rare night that three of them were home at the same time. Yami picked up his glass and gestured toward the deck, as Yugi shuffled the cards. "You play?"

The ridiculousness of his question made them both blink in sync. Yugi gave a weak laugh, putting the cards down to take a drink out of his own glass. "Just a bit. You?"

"Maybe a bit more." Yami responded with a wink, wondering how they had fallen into this easy banter. He put his glass back on the table before leaning forward, a dangerous smile on his face. "Care to play a few games."

* * *

Ryou woke to the sound of enthusiastic slapping and equally as enthusiastic cursing. Blearily, he wandered into the kitchen, walking in just in time to see Yami gingerly withdrawing his hand from a pile of cards. Yami stared at his hand as Yugi pulled the pile toward him, placing the three cards that he already had sitting face down before him on top of the newer cards.

Both looked up as Ryou entered, Yugi with a smothered grin and Yami with a pained smile. It was Yami that finally spoke. "Hey Ryou, fancy joining us in a game of cards?"

The British teen tipped his head to one side, still too sleepy to comprehend any conversation. "Aren't you and Yugi playing already?"

"Yes, but..." Yami placed both his hands on the table, Yugi following the suit. Both of their hands were red and covered in small cuts. And both of them looked extremely sheepish. "We're getting a bit overenthusiastic. And I know Yugi wouldn't want to leave anyone out of a game."

Yugi nodded enthusiastically as Ryou settled into a chair, staring at Yami as he smiled. Finally, the synapses the Ryou's brain decided to start firing together and he leaned forward with a sly smile. "You're both too proud to admit defeat."

Both of them scoffed at the thought, turning back to their game with a wince. Ryou watched them place a few more cards in the middle more cautiously than normal and both with their non dominant hand. He let them suffer for a while, waiting to see if they would go for the next slap.

Unable to hold back his chuckles any longer, Ryou waved a hand. "Give me a minute to make something to eat and then I'll join you."

His smile widened as he saw Yugi and Yami visibly relax, drawing away from the cards. Ryou shook his head, muttering about hard-headed gamers under his breath before looking back at the two. "Have you eaten anything yet?"

When both shook their head, Ryou sighed, stood up and leaned against the nearest counter. "What do you want then?"

* * *

Bakura stumbled out of his room earlier than he wanted to. But the constant nagging at the back of his mind had annoyed him into wakefulness. That person who said he was Yami was probably still here, still putting Ryou in danger. And Bakura had promised the real Yami that nothing would harm Ryou.

He poked his head into the kitchen it time to hear an annoyed shout. Interested, Bakura sauntered the rest of the way into the kitchen, glaring at the Duel Monsters set up on the table. He spotted a still warm plate on the counter, Ryou standing by it with a look of surprise.

Bakura stormed over only to have the plate shoved at him as Ryou continued to stare at the two at the table. The thief accepted the plate with a snarl and glared at the two who had taken over the table. "What's going on?"

"Aa…" Ryou had to stop and control the way his voice cracked before he could go on, "apparently, Yami challenged Yugi to a 'few games'. And they've been going since…"

The two looked up from their shuffling, surprised at the intrusion of real life into their bubble. It was Yami that finally answered, since Yugi just had a blank stare plastered over his face. "Well, it had to be at least ten or eleven."

Bakura looked over at the clock, staring blankly at the time. "It's almost four."

"Really?" Yugi perked up, drawing a new hand from the reshuffled deck. "Wow, I thought it would be later. How many duels have we been through?"

Yami considered his hand and the question before laying down a face down card. "Ten, maybe."

"Four to me, four to you and two draws…sounds about right." Yugi sent the reply back absently, the nonchalance in his voice making Bakura nearly choke on his food. The thief was sure that he was wearing a similar look to Ryou's as they watched the pair continue on.

"And, has it always been Duel Monsters?"

Ryou shook his head and answered as the other two had slipped back into the rhythm of their game. "No, it started with ERS until I came in. Then it was a couple rounds of BS before I took a break for lunch and they started Duel Monsters while I was gone. Yugi's using whatever cards Yami doesn't use in his deck."

Bakura shot a sideways look at the British teen. "Which deck is Yami using?"

"The one that you, Marik and I can last about five turns against…if we are lucky."

"And Yugi's won…four times…"

"Yep." Yugi came out of his game induced stupor to respond with an eager nod before falling back into the game.

Bakura found himself leaning heavily against the counter, watching the exchanges between the two of them with increasing amazement. Yami was the King of Games, at least unofficially, for this region and possibly all of the country. Bakura had never been able to drag the full story from Yami. To think that this kid was able to not only keep up with Yami but actually beat him a fair amount of the time was amazing.

He looked down at his food before shifting around Ryou to get a better view of the duel, eating on automatic pilot as he watched the action between the two progress.

* * *

Yugi nudged a box away with his foot, concentrating on the pile of money before him. He counted up the color coded bills again, glancing at Yami from time to time as the older teen smirked at him, arms crossed. On the other side of the board, Bakura and Ryou slumped against the sofa, exhausted from the fierce round of board games that had come after both Yugi and Yami had begged a break off of Duel Monsters.

Dinner had been eaten quickly without being tasted before they were into the board games. And a few more hours had passed as Yugi or Yami had consistently beat the other two in everything they had thrown at them.

Yugi finished counting, laying down the stack of money before glancing over at Yami in amazement. "It's exactly the same. I've counted twice."

Bakura threw his hands up in the air in defeat as Yami tipped over laughing. Yugi ducked his head, a blush spreading across his face as Bakura carried on. "That's impossible. Except for the Pharaoh, I didn't think people actually _won_ Monopoly! And tying...Argh!"

He fell over backward, waving off Ryou's offer of help. "I think I'm going off to do something more straightforward." Bakura lurched to his feet, shooting a glare at the still laughing Yami. "I'm going out to rob a few people. Anyone care to join?"

The only response he got was a shocked look from Yugi, another bout of laughter from Yami and Ryou's automatic good-bye wave as he gathered up the Monopoly pieces. Yugi carefully pushed his pile of money to Ryou before crawling over to Yami, watching the older teenager as his laughter went silent, just clutching his sides as tears leaked from the corner of his eyes.

"Yami?" Yugi cautiously poked Yami's side, earning him a confused look as Yami sat off and waved him away. Yugi sat back and let Yami recover, hesitating before helping Ryou put away the game. He piled a stack of boxes in his arms, letting the British teen guide him to where the games belonged. When he had returned to the living room, Yami had gained control over himself, but was still wincing whenever he moved.

Yami had moved to sit on the sofa, playing vaguely with his deck as he watched Ryou and Yugi reenter the room. He scooted over, making room for Yugi as Ryou went down to flop down on the pile of pillows. Yugi collapsed on the sofa beside Yami, falling over to lean against the older teen and closed his eyes in exhaustion.

He was jolted out of his daze when Yami gently moved his shoulder. Yugi sat up, blinking in his confusion at the bright smile that was aimed at him. From his experience, Yami didn't smile at people or most people other than Ryou. It was almost disconcerting, almost. But part of him liked it.

Yugi turned away with a blush, preferring to look at his hands as he played with his fingers, listening to Yami chuckle and wondering why it caused him to blush more. Beside him, he felt Yami stop shuffling and place his cards down. "Aibou?"

His blush deepened at the nickname. He had earned it before they had played Monopoly, when Bakura had demanded a tag team duel, pairing Yami and Yugi together to see if they would trip each other up. In retrospect, it had been a bad idea, because they had won rather quickly. The process had been repeated until Yami had slipped and started calling Yugi aibou while in the midst of a combo the two had worked out and the nickname had stuck.

Yugi finally looked up at Yami, attempting to smile. The smile was broken by a yawn, which he quickly smothered. Yami met his now sheepish smile and stood up. "Come on, aibou. I think it's time to head for bed."

"Now?"

"You say that like it's early. If Bakura is heading out, it must be pretty late." Yugi started, searching for a clock. Before he could actually ascertain the time, Yami had jokingly scooped him up and started towards his room. "I'll be back, Ryou. I've got to put the little one to bed."

Yugi thought he saw a flash of hatred across Ryou's face before he had to react to Yami's jab at him. He flailed a bit, almost hitting Yami a couple of times as the older teen laughed. "I'm only two years younger than you!"

"Of course you are, little one."

"You're no taller than me!" Yugi was laughing too hard to properly deliver his next line, leaning against Yami as they both laughed hysterically. His own laughter stopped for a moment as Yami dropped him onto the bed, a smirk on his face as he circled around to his closet.

Yugi sat up, his attention caught by the golden crown that was sitting on the desk close to the bed. He scrambled off the bed to stare at it, not aware that Yami had come to stand behind him until he had reached around to pick up the crown. He shot a glance at Yugi that was hard for him to decipher. "It's not real."

"But you actually wear that?" There was another flicker of unreadable emotion in Yami's eyes before it was gone. He gave another laugh, not as warm as the previous laughter.

"Yes. It's more of a gag gift that I could never let go."

"Pharaoh?"

"Yes." Yami hesitated for a moment, looking at his closet against before shaking his head and putting the crown back on the desk again. "There's a whole costume to go with it, if you believe me."

"Seriously?" Yugi caught the sweatpants that were thrown at him, changing absently without really noticing the other boy in the room. "Or are you just joking?"

"I never joke about my title, aibou." Yami was sprawled out on the bed by this time, holding back a yawn of his own. Yugi gave him an odd look before clambering up beside him. Yami smirked at him, before pulling Yugi close.

Yugi squeaked and tried to get free. "Shouldn't I sleep on the sofa now that Bakura knows I'm here?"

"Yes." Yami's voice was muffled because he had buried it in Yugi's hair. "But you're very cuddly."

Yugi grumbled before slipping under the covers, giving Yami evil looks that were brushed easily away with a chuckle. Yami patted his head before releasing his tight hold on the smaller teen. "You're too cute to be evil, aibou."

"Not cute." Yugi mumbled the words before falling asleep. He gave a happy hum before flipping to his other side and curling against Yami's side.

* * *

_He was back by the gates, staring up at the golden arch above him. Yami looked down across the field, glaring at the papyrus that swayed lightly in a breeze that never reached him. He crossed his arms, shivering suddenly before turning and pushing through a cloud. _

_Yami walked through the rows of watches laid out on either side of him, barely paying attention to them until he saw one that was hauntingly familiar. His hand went to his watch, only to bump against his chest without encountering the circle of metal. He could feel his own heartbeat._

_He stumbled back, knocking a few watches into the cloud under his feet in his shock. If his heart was beating, that meant that he was alive. If he was alive, he shouldn't be here. Yami turned to run, falling to his knees at the sound of metal ripping apart. He looked over his shoulder to see the watch of his life being torn apart by invisible claws. A deep rumble filled the air as something spoke, but Yami couldn't make out the words._

_He screamed as his heart clenched before stopping altogether. He fell forward, expecting to be caught by the cloud. Instead, he plunged right through, spinning in the air until he fell onto the hard wood of the docks._

_A nonexistent breath was pushed from his lungs. Yami groaned and rolled onto his hands and knees, turning his head at the sound of a motor. He only had the time to widen his eyes before the car plowed into him, sending him off the end of the dock and into the water. He was screaming again as he felt bones break, mending only when he hit the water._

_And he was still alive. Yami took advantage of this and swam from the surface, scrambling at the edge of the dock. His panic subsided as he felt the solid wood under his hand. Yami hauled himself back onto the dock, shivering as the cold air hit his soaked clothes. _

_The sound of a gun cocking caught his attention. Yami looked up quickly, managing to growl out a name through his gasps for breath. "Noa."_

_The aqua haired teenager smiled at his former business partner before firing the gun at point blank range._

_The watch around Yami's neck shattered._

Yami sat up suddenly, one hand groping for the watch that swung wildly on his neck. He only calmed when he felt the cold metal pressing against his hand. Proof that he was alive. Proof that the watch had not shattered with the gun shot. Yami caught himself before he felt his forehead, almost sure that there would be a bullet hole.

He shook himself before looking over at the clock and letting out a loud groan. He had only gotten an hour of sleep before the nightmare had started. And he was sure that he wouldn't get any more sleep after this. Yami shifted until he was sitting up with a pillow propped up underneath his back, returning his gaze to the watch in his hand.

"Yami, why are you up?" He glanced to his side, surprised to see a sleepy Yugi blinking blearily up at him.

"Go back to sleep, Yugi. It was just a nightmare. I'll be alright in a minute." Yugi accepted this without question, gracelessly flopping back down before shifting to mimic Yami's position. Yami stiffened as the teen curled against him, letting out a content sigh before falling back asleep.

Yami shook his head in amazement before returning his gaze to the watch he held in his hand. Why all these nightmares?

* * *

_I think this is one of my favorite chapters. I don't know why because I hated writing this chapter. Also, I have looked over the calendar and counted the days. Previously, I've been posting one chapter a week so I could get the sequel done and have some chapters to get all of my readers through National Novel Writing Month, when I basically disappear of the face of the earth for 30 days. But, seeing as I have enough chapters to get through these stories, I'm going to update now on Wednesdays and Fridays.  
_

_Read, enjoy and review please. Criticism is always welcome._


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Yes, there are some characters from the spin off shows in here, but it's only because I didn't want to create a host of original characters to have as orphans and because it seemed funny at the time I was writing this. As a warning, the characters will probably be _very_ out of character and only have the most basic backstory about them, which is because I don't really watch any of the spin off shows. Also, there are times when the kids are talking that the grammar may be off. I assure you that it was done on purpose because I tend to make children too serious if I try to write them with correct grammar.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, GX, 5D's, All Dogs Go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

"You said you had something of interest to show me?" Noa glared at the shaking kid, impatience growing as he rummaged around in his pockets before producing a picture. The kid stared at it for a while before reluctantly handing it over.

"I thought I was seeing things because…well because you put out the word. But that's him, alright. He's been hanging around with one of your competitors, and business there has gone up. That's where most of your customers have gone."

Noa glanced at the picture, growling deep in his throat as he recognized the confident figure in the foreground. Yami stared back at him, everything exactly as he remembered from the crimson eyes to the spiked, tri-colored hair; from the black leather pants to the sleeveless shirt. The teenager even had the gall to wear the watch that he had been gifted the night of Noa's greatest plan. It was Yami, in the flesh, and still very alive.

He snarled and tossed the photograph back to the kid. "How long?"

"A few months, sir. He's been helping at the Palace of Thebes, but no one really saw him around. He's started coming out of the woodwork more recently, sir."

"Everyone should have known he was dead!"

"They thought it was a bluff, sir." The kid looked down at his shoes, scuffing the toe of one on the carpet. "They thought you were just lying."

Noa sat down hard in his seat. So, the reputation he thought that he had built up had, in reality, crumbled from the start. Even when he was supposed to be dead, that smug teen haunted him. Noa placed his hands flat on his desk to keep from gouging his nails into his palms.

"Sir," the frightened voice of the kid brought him back, "will you let my sister go now?"

"Sure." Noa motioned for one of his henchman, not caring which one. "Take this kid to his sister and get them out of my sight."

He spun around before the henchman could acknowledge his orders, brooding at the wall. So, his former business partner was still alive, still had the support of this side of Domino. And, Noa was willing to bet his life on this, Yami had the kid.

* * *

Ryou listened with half an ear to the rambunctious sounds of the casino while fiddling with the piece of the costume he still held. He jumped at a loud shriek, his nerves already on edge. From his right came an amused chuckle, the sound making him glare at Yami. His friend merely raised an eyebrow and adjusted one of the bands on his forearms. "You haven't even been outside long, Ryou, and you're already jumpy. Who got you this time?"

The white-haired teen blushed, well aware of the running contest among those on this side of the river to scare him every Halloween. About ten people had tried already, only three succeeding. But three was quite enough to have him on his toes. Ryou looked down at his feet as Yami adjusted the purple cape that hung over his shoulders, pulling it away from his neck so it wouldn't choke him. "Mana."

Yami laughed again at the whispered name, reaching over to pet Ryou on the head before relieving him of the crown he held. Ryou stepped back, watching as Yami settled the piece onto his head, growling when his bangs immediately fell over the plastic and into his eyes. When he was all settled, Yami turned to Ryou, crossing his arms as staring at his friend. "What are you going as?"

"I'm not going." Ryou turned away so he couldn't see the shocked look on his friend's face, biting his lip as he did so.

They had always gone to visit the orphans that lived the abandoned church on the major holidays, something to make them feel like they were loved. They had done this as long as he could remember, dressing up in ridiculous costumes and going over to play games until the children were sent scurrying off to bed by their caretaker. It was a tradition; something that, previously, he had looked forward to.

Ryou knew he was going to be asked for a reason, but didn't want to voice it. He was glad that he hadn't, because the reason came running through the door in the very next second.

"Aibou!" Ryou winced at the nickname and the happy tone in Yami's voice as he turned to meet Yugi. The duplicate of his friend hurled himself at Yami, getting a hug from the older teen; the sign of affection making Ryou choke back a snarl.

That was _his_ friend that Yugi was hugging. _His_ friend that Yugi spent so much time with. _His_ big brother than Yugi was stealing away from him.

Ryou forced a smile on his face, waving at the two as he backed away. "I promised that I would help at the bar here for a while. Go on; don't want to keep them waiting."

He walked out of the room, lowering his eyes to his feet as the happy sounds of conversation that came from behind him.

* * *

"Aibou, I don't think it's such a good idea to go as a bondage slave." Yami watched surprise play across Yugi's face, struggling to keep his own expression perfectly serious. He rested his hands on Yugi's shoulders, rubbing gently over the sleeveless leather shirt that the teen had on. Yami looked up and smirked, seeing the reflection of the smaller teen in the mirror. A black leather shirt and black leather pants, both maybe inches two large for him, were topped off with Yugi's customary black collar and some of Yami's belts. "It might set a bad example for the kids."

Yugi shoved Yami's hands off him, pretending to pout. "I'm not a bondage slave, I'm going as you. So I guess that makes you a bondage slave."

Yami burst out into laughter, heading for the still open door, waiting for Yugi to walk past him before leaning down to give his response. "Oh but I'm the Pharaoh tonight, little one. I can do anything I want; have anything I want."

Was that a shiver that ran over Yugi, or was he imagining things? Yami shook his head and continued, reaching out to gently hold Yugi's shoulders. "And tonight, you are mine."

Was it wrong that he enjoyed the fact that Yugi shuddered? Or that he enjoyed teasing the teenager like this? He shoved those thoughts away and stepped around Yugi, turning his head so he could just see the smaller teen out of the corner of his eye.

Yugi was standing still where he had left him, purple eyes glazed over as he stared off into the middle distance. Yami smirked to himself, feeling a bit of pride that _he_ was the one to do this to the teen before he quickly shook it off. No, this wasn't right. For all the joking, the teasing and the laughter, Yugi was just an object to be used. Anything done was to keep Yugi comfortable and from suspecting the true reason that Yami allowed him to stay.

It wasn't because Yami enjoyed the teen's company, or making Yugi laugh. It was simply because this was the fastest way to hurt Noa. He would keep Yugi around for a while and then kick him out into the street. He didn't care for the teen at all. But why was it getting so hard just to admit that to himself?

"Come on, aibou, we wouldn't want to disappoint the kids." He heard Yugi scrambling to catch up, biting down on his own yelp of surprise as Yugi grabbed his hand and began to drag him along. The next moment, he found himself laughing along with Yugi, finding that he liked the personality that had been emerging from the teen, the more carefree personality that had been hidden as a defense. Yami smiled and allowed Yugi to pull him from the casino and into the street before taking control and heading for the abandoned church.

* * *

It was almost as if he didn't exist to those two anymore. And the worst part was that the kid noticed it and went out of his way to include Ryou, but he didn't want another's pity.

No. The worst part was that Yami didn't seem to notice this divide, too busy keeping his new pet busy. And this had been going on for months now.

He shuffled over to the bar, slipping behind the counter to slump against it, watching the room with dull eyes. For a while, he didn't allow himself to think, instead observing people like he had been doing all his life. Observing and listening for any information. He snapped out of his daze as he spotted Yugi and Yami heading for the front door of the casino, his gaze moving to another group of people.

Those two had become inseparable over the past few months, always talking or concentrating on some game. Always trying to beat in other. Always leaving Ryou to watch from the outside, watch and wonder if Yami and him had once been like this.

For a while, he had tried to include himself in their little world, anything to remind Yami that he still existed. But that had stopped when the nickname had come around, stopped dead when Yami started calling the kid partner while Ryou was just Ryou. He wasn't even little one anymore, even though Ryou himself had put a stop to that name a few years back, not that it had stopped Yami from using it every once and a while to annoy him.

No, he was just Ryou again. Another body in the house. Another person using resources.

He hung his head and shuffled around, taking orders for drinks and making them automatically, his thoughts still not letting him go.

Yami didn't even come and save him from his nightmares, a habit that neither of them had seemed to be unable to break until now. But Yami had enough time to help his aibou; Ryou had heard screaming from their bedroom, possibly still from the kid's nightmares, and the soft murmuring of Yami talking him back down. Ryou was left to the miserable comfort that he could bring, which was usually clutching a pillow until he was too tired to stay up any longer.

He yelped as a hand reached out at grabbed his arm, pulling him from his musing. He tried to shy away, embarrassed that he had been so easy to startle, but the hand held him firm. Finally giving himself over to being held captive, Ryou looked up at the person, shocked to see Bakura there. Even more shocked to see Bakura looking worried, although the expression didn't suit his face well.

"Ryou?" There was an implied 'are you okay?' that Bakura couldn't seem to bring himself to get out, but Ryou was okay with that. After all, Bakura was the one who never cared. Like Marik was the crazy one, Yami was the leader and he was…well he didn't know how he fit into the group anymore. He used to be the tag along, Yami's best friend and little brother to all. But now…he was the extra body.

Ryou slumped against the counter again, staring at his hands until Bakura forced his chin up to look at him. The thief hesitated for a moment, unsure of something before he muttered a quick, "It'll be okay" and looked away. And Ryou felt himself smile, for the first time in what seemed like a long time. Because, when Bakura said something, it was bound to happen.

* * *

Yugi had to repress a shiver as he looked at the ruined church, staring at the gothic structure; feeling like this was a fitting place to be on Halloween night. He carefully skirted the stones and pieces of wood that littered the ground, his eyes never leaving the dilapidated church. He moved closer to Yami's side, happily snuggling closer to the teenager as they walked through the doors, staring for a moment at the one that hung from one hinge.

"Fair warning, aibou, these kids will be pretty excited to see us." The deep baritone of Yami's voice made him perk up and pay attention. Yami smiled down at him, heading for a stone staircase. "Actually, they might have already consumed what candy they got. So, don't get trampled in the rush."

Yugi nodded glumly, shivering in the cool of the church and wishing that he had worn something with long sleeves instead of opting for the sleeveless top that he had on right now. He moved closer to Yami, their clasped hands now trapped against their thighs as their arms pressed against each other.

Yami smiled at him again, Yugi catching the expression out of the corner of one eye. "Don't worry, aibou, they're just kids, not rampant monsters."

Yugi was about to retort when two small children ran across their line of sight. The one in front had a head of spiky blonde hair; oversized sweats making him stumble as he raced across the second level. Yugi caught a glimpse of a card clutched in his hand before the next kid raced after him, the black hair with blonde streaks through it and the large blue jacket with orange bubbles on him making Yugi stop and blink. He jumped as the second kid plowed into the first, shoving him to the ground and reaching for the card. "Give him back, Jack!"

Yami was away from his side and bounding up the steps towards the kids, easily reaching down and snatching the card away from Jack. Yugi scrambled up after him, watching as Yami crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the two, the struggles of the kids ceasing as they realized that they had been caught. The second child untangled himself from Jack, shuffling to stand in front of Yami. The older teen raised an eyebrow, giving the two a glare. "What's going on here?"

"Jack stoles my card!" The second kid pointed at Jack, purple-blue eyes filling with tears. "He stoles my motorcycle and my card."

"You wouldn't share!" Jack clambered to his feet, giving the second kid a shove that propelled him right into Yugi. Reacting quickly, Yugi settled the second kid before he could tumble down the steps before walking over to Yami.

The older teen glanced down at the card that he held before stepping around the kids toward the light that came from one of the doors on the hallway. Both kids ducked their heads and followed after Yami, keeping far enough behind that his flowing cape wouldn't smack them in their faces. Yugi brought up the rear of the little bunch, smirking at the picture that Yami made; the pharaoh returning two runaway slaves.

His suppressed chuckles stopped as they entered the room, eyes going wide at the number of children that were bounding around. There had to be at least twelve that he could count. And all of them stopped as they saw Yami.

They slid from their places and stood in front of him, some of the braver peering around to see the two who had gotten in trouble. Yugi walked to stand by Yami's side as Jack and the other kid moved to stand in the crowd of children. Yami glared at the two before holding up the card, Yugi getting a brief glimpse of the name, Stardust Dragon, before it was removed from his line of sight.

"Who does this belong to?"

"Yusei." The high voices all rang out, some even pointing to the boy with the blue and orange jacket.

Yusei stuck his tongue out at Jack before running up to get his card from Yami, who had knelt on the ground to talk on Jack's level. "Now, there is no excuse for stealing, even if Yusei won't share. And don't think you're getting out of this." The last sentence was addressed to Yusei, who was attempting to sneak back through the crowd of children. He turned and smiled sheepishly before looking down at his feet as Yami went back to his scolding. "You should share with Jack. Alright?"

There were mumbles from the two before Yami ruffled Jack's hair, the stern manner dropping away as he smiled back at the kids. "Now, I haven't gotten my hello."

Yugi jumped to the side as Yami was tackled by the children, the sheer numbers pushing him to them floor as they fought for their chance to hug their 'Uncle Yami'. Yugi wrapped his arms around himself, holding his sides as he laughed. It was amusing to see Yami push himself off the floor, most of the children taking the hint and jumping off him, but a few clung on, chattering up at him.

"I beat Chazz in a duel!"

"It wasn't fair, Syrus!"

"No, it was." Syrus stuck his tongue out at Chazz before climbing off Yami and running over to the group of children.

"We got a puppy, Yami! A real puppy!" One girl still clung to Yami, shaking his arm in her excitement.

"Really?" Yami carefully peeled her from him before setting her back on the ground, choosing to remain on the floor himself to talk to her. "Does this puppy have a name?"

"Demon!" Jack shouted from his corner. Yugi looked away from Yami to watch Yusei and Jack, apparently on good terms at this point, playing with toy motorcycles on the floor.

"No!" The little girl whined out the word. "His name is Sky!"

"That's a good name for a dog." Yami patted the girl on her head, settling back with a content look on his face as she skipped off to join the others, braids swinging happily. Yugi took the moment of calm to sit on the floor beside Yami, ready to jump up if the children turned their attention back to him. "Chris has been begging for a dog for a while now."

"Why are they all here?"

Yami sighed at the question, absentmindedly straightening parts of his costume that had been messed up by the children. "They're all the orphans from this side of Domino, at least the ones that we can save."

"Save?"

"Those orphanages on the other side of the river will mark them as troubled, just because their origins." Yugi jumped at the vehemence in Yami's voice as he spoke. "And they won't get adopted at all or put into families who always watch them for one mistake, to prove they are bad kids. But none of them are. It's safer for them to be here, where they are cared for by the whole community, than mistreated in Domino."

"Oh?" Yugi stared at the kids, watching as they played with each other. It was hard to imagine them happy in another place, probably kept from the others because of where they had come from. He had been treated like that when his family had moved into the seedier districts of the city. He had gone from being the good kid in school to someone to be watched carefully, just in case he turned violent.

He snuggled into Yami's side, surprising the older teen with his sudden need for contact and affection. Yugi sighed as Yami's arm wrapped around his waist, enjoying the feeling of safety that came with Yami. The safety that was allowing him to return somewhat to who he was before the whole Noa incident.

He could play games without feeling remorse or hatred for them. He had relearned how to have fun in the many matches against Yami. His smile and laugh had returned, all while hidden away from the one man that had forced him to repress them. And Yugi was eternally thankful to Yami for that. Even Yugi's nightmares had ceased, leaving him with more nights of uninterrupted rest. At least, if it weren't for...

"Yami?" The two teenagers looked up as a tall young woman in a soft blue dress walked into the room, pushing hair out of her eyes. Yugi took in the small tiara she had perched on her head, noticing that it was missing half of its sequins before Yami stood up and walked over to her. Yugi decided to stay on the floor, watching as Chris bounded over to the woman, tugging on her dress lightly.

"Are you a princess, Miss Malinda?"

Malinda smiled down at the girl. "Yes."

Chris turned to glare at a brown haired boy in a red jacket, a triumphant look on her face. "I said that she would be a princess. You should have been one too!"

The boy she addressed clutched his stuffed toy tighter to his body and shook his head quickly, turning pink as he blushed.

Yugi chuckled at the children's actions, glancing over as Syrus plopped down by his side with a hopeful smile on his face. "Will you play a game with me?"

"Sure."

* * *

"I'm so happy to see you." Yami stiffened as he was pulled into a close hug, fighting the urge to reach for his watch; a habit that he had yet to break. He forced himself to relax, breathing a sigh of relief when Malinda finally released him. She nervously brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear, looking out at the children. "I didn't know what to think for a while there. It…it…"

"It was that bad?"

Malinda nodded and moved to lean against the wall, wrapping her arms around her waist. "One of Noa's thugs came around, laughing, and said that you were dead. And I was scared because it was you that kept these kids here and kept them happy by visiting. They understood when you were in jail, but how was I to explain that you were dead?"

"Malinda, I-" He stopped as she placed a hand on his arm, a smile finally crossing her face.

"But you're here now, so it's okay. Besides, when Mahad came by with the dog to watch over us, we knew that you were still out there. And all we had to do is wait until you came around again."

"I…never…" Yami found himself speaking slowly, too dazed to form a coherent sentence.

"Yami, you are the one who holds us together here. Without you, we would all fall back to the way it was before, sniping and trying to one up each other. And these kids…well they wouldn't be in much better shape." She stood up straight, seeming to shake off the melancholy that had infected her before. "Now, tell me who that little clone is. Or is that just a costume."

Yami glanced over at Yugi, now occupied in a game of Go Fish with Syrus and smiled. "No, well the leather is. But that one was another I saved."

"Waiting until he's safe to return him home?" Yami jumped a bit at the question, expecting it but not wanting to answer. Malinda seemed to take it a different way, patting his shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay; he'll find a way to stay in contact with you. He won't desert you."

She moved off to play with Chris and a group of girls, leaving Yami to look between her and Yugi. How was he supposed to tell her that he had no intention of ever returning Yugi home? He was even having a hard time convincing himself to follow the original plan and toss Yugi to whoever wanted him. Part of him, a very large part of him, wanted to keep the teen with him. Keep him close and never let him go.

Shaken by the return of his current dilemma, Yami walked over to where Jaden sat on one of the beds, absently messing the child's brown hair; mixing the chestnut colored highlights on the top of the kid's head with the darker hair beneath. Jaden looked up at him with a squeak of surprise before hugging Yami around the waist. The older teen chuckled, noticing the stuffed toy for the first time, thrown by the white wings on the brown puffball. "Jaden, what happened to Kuriboh?"

The young child looked glum for a moment before smiling. "He got injured and all the stuffing fell out of him. So I took him to Miss Malinda to fix, but she couldn't. So," he brandished the winged Kuriboh, shaking it so the white wings hit against Yami's arm, "this was my birthday present. My Kuriboh came back as an angel."

Yami didn't realize he had reached for his watch until the familiar cold circle rested in his palm, relaxing as he heard the ticking of the watch. He forced a smile on his face, patting the Kuriboh on the top of its head. "That's good; you've got yourself a guardian angel."

Jaden nodded, making the Kuriboh dance over the thin sheets. "I knew that Yami would protect us."

"You named your Kuriboh…after me?"

"Gonna, because bad men were walking around and saying scary things." Jaden brought the Kuriboh back to him, cuddling it close and turning to Yami. "They were saying that you weren't coming back…that you had gotten hurt like my Kuriboh and…that they couldn't fix you. And Miss Malinda was so scared…so I thought that this Kuriboh could help us. But then you came back."

Yami stared at Jaden, even after the child had hopped off the bed to watch Yusei and Jack play with their motorcycles, sometimes inserting his Kuriboh into the play. He was too engrossed in watching the children play and jumped to his feet when thunder boomed, shaking the church. He was kneeling on the ground in the next minute, letting the few children who were scared of storms cling to him. Yami was further surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see Yugi dropping down beside him. Yami was about to offer him a few kids who had not found a place to cling to him, when he saw a few shivers run through Yugi, the teen looking nervously up at the ceiling.

He would be scared of storms after living on the _Baroness_; the old steamboat was not the most reliable of abodes during a storm. Yami had often closed the casino early when a storm was blown in, not willing to risk the chance that the decrepit boat would rock free of its moorings. Storms locked up in that small room would have driven anyone crazy. Yami freed an arm and wrapped it around Yugi, pulling him close as the next peal of thunder rolled through.

"You should probably stay here for the night." Yami glanced up at Malinda, smiling his thanks. He heard her moving off. "I'll go make up some…beds. But you'll have to read them a bedtime story."

All the children perked up at the prospect.

* * *

_And here is the small tribute to one of my favorite cosplayers, Malindachan. _

_Read and review please. And, please, feel welcome to throw some constructive criticism in there._


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, GX, 5D's, All Dogs Go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

**

* * *

Chapter Nine**

_They were after him again, Noa and his thugs. Ryou whimpered and ducked around a corner, finding himself on the docks. Without thinking, he continued to run, moving from the safety of the packing crates and onto the open space of the wooden pier. He could hear footsteps behind him, fueling his panic further until Ryou was rushing forward in a full out sprint._

_He hit the incline of the pier, his forward momentum too much to keep him upright. He screamed as he tumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop at the bottom of the incline. Wincing and sore from his fall, Ryou clambered to his feet, struggling to breathe evenly as he searched for his enemy. The sound of a car starting drew his attention to the top of the slope._

_Ryou began to back up, the movement stopped by the railing that guarded the end of the pier, whimpering when he realized his escape was cut off. The teen forced himself to look up, staring into the headlights of the black car. He clambered up onto the railing, ready to jump when he noticed two familiar figures from his perch._

_Yami was here! Ryou also cried in relief, raising a hand to wave at his friend. He stopped, however, when he noticed Yugi hanging onto Yami's side. Ryou shivered as Yugi gave a cute giggle, the sound suddenly seeming deadly to him._

"_What do you think, aibou?"_

"_Do we really need him, Yami?" Yugi was staring up at Yami with wide eyes. "You have me now, right?"_

_Yami laughed before leaning down and nuzzling Yugi's neck, the smaller teen tipping his head back and clutching Yami's arms. "Yes I do, little one."_

_A choked sob escaped Ryou at the sound of those two words. That was his nickname! Yami called him that and him alone! It was the only thing left of his big brother and Yugi had stolen it away! _

_Ryou clung to the railing, shivering and staring up at his friend. He pressed closer to the wood as Yami turned the smirk reserved for enemies onto him. Ryou found himself muttering as Yami pulled away from Yugi and walked to the start of the incline, standing beside the car. "Atemu…boss…Yami…big brother…please…"_

"_Sorry, Ryou, it's just good business." Yami pushed the car lightly, watching it rock forward before beginning its slow journey down the incline. Then, he turned back to Yugi, wrapping an arm around the other's waist before strolling off; like he didn't have a care in the world._

_And Ryou was too stunned by the betrayal to move. He simply clung to the wooden railing like it was his last lifeline, watching his only family disappear. A loud honk from the horn of the car drew his attention back, two more surprises making him stare. _

_Behind the wheel of the car was, "Mother?" _

_Ryou got a glimpse of the other occupant, standing up to see her properly. He was about to shout out her name when the car hit him, throwing him from the pier and into the water. Ryou screamed and tried to swim up to the surface, only to have something grasp onto his leg. He turned around to pry it off, stopping when he saw the skeletal hand._

_From the darkness of the water, a skeleton emerged, the too familiar red eyes making Ryou open his mouth to scream, only to inhale water. The skeleton hauled him closer before shouting at him. "You abandoned me, Ryou! You let me drown! You killed me!"_

"I'm sorry!" Ryou shot upright, panting as he screamed those words. He only had a moment to collect himself before a pillow came in contact with his head, knocking him back from the shock. He remained flat on his back, staring up at his ceiling as he tried to calm down from his dream.

The pillow to the head was a sure sign that he had woken Bakura. The thief was going to be annoyed with him tomorrow, especially after all the alcohol the other had consumed at the Palace of Thebes earlier. But, at least it was only a pillow.

"Shove over, bed hog." Ryou responded to the command, too amazed to do anything else. Bakura slithered onto the bed, snatching his pillow back from its place on Ryou's chest before pulling the sheet over himself. "No more nightmares. Don't want you screaming in my ear."

With that warning, Bakura fell back asleep.

On his side of the bed, Ryou remained ridged with shock. On the one hand, the Bakura he knew would never have done this. One the other, it was comforting, in a Bakura-like way. And Yami was still out with his little pet, the thought itself was nearly enough to make Ryou growl.

So Yami wasn't there to help him with one nightmare. He didn't care. Ryou snuggled up to Bakura with a triumphant thought sent Yami's way, even though he knew the teen couldn't hear it.

He didn't need Yami anymore, he could do just fine on his own. Besides, he had Bakura. And that was all he needed.

* * *

Yami carried Jack to his sleeping place, leaving the crown on the child's head for the time being. He glanced over at all the children, chuckling softly at the sight of Yusei cuddling with his Stardust Dragon card and motorcycle while Jaden was sleeping with his winged Kuriboh sitting on the top of his head. He yawned himself before trudging to the shadowy alcove where he and Yugi would be spending the night.

Exhausted, he peeled off all the jewelry he had worn with the get up, leaving the watch and his tunic on. He flopped backward onto the thin blanket, wincing as he back came in contact with the floor. A small whimper nearly drowned out by the next rumble of thunder drew his attention to Yugi. Yami reached out and held the hand that the boy hadn't pulled under the blanket, smiling as Yugi squeezed his hand back before relaxing.

The watch clattered to the ground as he rolled to his side, reaching to cuddle Yugi close but falling asleep before he could finish the move. Unbeknownst to the two slumbering teens, the watch opened up, the entirety of the face pulsing with golden light. The next roll of thunder nearly smothered the words that echoed from it.

"Atemu, you can never come back. You can never come-"

_Then his watch shattered. Yami arched up, trying to draw air into his lungs to scream as he felt his heart shudder and stop. He was barely aware of crashing back to the hard ground as his mind was tossed into darkness. Then the darkness gave way to noxious grey-green clouds. And Yami wished that he was back underwater with his bones moving back into place. Anywhere but here. _

_He was thrown out of the bank of clouds, catapulted toward a lightening storm that brewed in the middle of the blasted plain. Yami turned, attempting to grab hold of any of the jutting rocks, but was too slow. He gave a silent scream as he was thrown through the green lightening, some tendrils reaching out to wrap around his body. He arched upward with a gasp of pain as the electricity burned through his body. _

_The lightening disappeared as Yami hit the ground, rolling for a minute before he scrambled to his feet. He allowed himself a quick look around before running in the direction he had come from, looking over his shoulder as the earth shook beneath his feet._

_Fire blasted from below as a circular hole was opened up in the ground, a funnel of wind dissipating the fire as it reached the surface. The tornado turned lazily for a moment, enjoying its fiery treat before beginning to spin in earnest, pulling Yami back toward the glowing rent in the earth. He dropped to his knees under the force and clawed at the ground, trying to pull himself back, but the pull of the tornado was too strong. _

"_Aibou!" The word left his mouth along with most of his breath as he was pulled into the tornado, gasping for air as he was spun around in quick circles, always being pulled downward. He got glimpses of red and black, and something moving as he was sucked deeper in. He got a whiff of sulfur and the sensation of intense heat before the tornado threw him down, tossing him roughly onto a hard surface._

_Yami scrambled to his feet, glancing down in horror and the roughly hewn stone boat before a breathy roar drew his attention to the hooded skeletal creature above him. He took one look at the winged creature before turning and running for the bow of the boat, stomach churning as he noticed the long-necked dinosaur skeleton that rose as a perverted figurehead from the bow of the boat. His attention was drawn away from the disturbing craft when the lava just ahead began to bubble and shoot off flames._

_Fire and green smoke rose from the lava, circles of black smog twisting around the column as the creature formed. Yami got the impression of wings and a horn before the creature enfolded itself in the black smog, lightening shooting down from above to strike it. There was a noise like the sound of breaking glass and then the creature opened its wings, stretching and roaring as it surfaced above the lava._

_The creature looked like a human, human enough to frighten Yami. It had two wings rising from his shoulders, and horns on the sides of its head and chin, the former curling towards the face; teeth set out in the open like a skull's. Its hands ending in sharp claws that glinted in the sharp light of the lava pits. From it's waist grew the head and neck of a dragon, its maw open to reveal sharp teeth. A tail sprouted from the creature, curling behind it and disappearing back into the lava._

_The creature seemed to study Yami for a moment before giving a laugh that sounded more like a roar. Yami took the moment to turn and run, jumping as a ball of fire shot over his shoulder to hit the deck of the boat. He scrambled to a stop, wheeling his arms for balance. The flames before him danced together, weaving with one another to form demons in the image of the creature behind him._

_He turned and ran back to the bow, only managing a few steps before another fireball produced more demons. Yami backed up a step, screaming as one of the demons bit his arm. He glared at the little creature before throwing it into the lava, kicking the next one to come near him. Another leapt for his shoulder, which he ducked, yelping as he hit the stone floor of the boat._

_That's when he felt the boat tip, the stern sinking into the bubbling lava and allowing the molten rock to rush up toward him. _

_Yami scrambled to his feet, carelessly shoving the other demons off of him as he raced for the bow of the boat. He stopped with his hands on the first set of vertebrate of the figurehead, checking the position of the lava before boosting himself up. _

_He screamed and nearly fell as the remaining demons jumped on him, trying to pull him back into the lava. Yami managed to clamber halfway up the dinosaur's neck when his feet lost their hold, leaving him dangling by his arms. He wrapped them around the bones, hanging until he could get his feet back under him and push up. The near fall had thrown more demons from him, making his climb a little bit easier._

"**You…can…never…go back**._" The creature rumbled out the words as Yami reached the skull of the dinosaur, looking over his shoulder to see the lava rising after him. He cried out in pain as one of the demons scratched right under his eye, blood dripping down his face. Yami closed his eyes and clung to the skull, trying to ignore the sharp bursts of pain that the demons caused as they clawed at him._

_He jerked his foot up as it began to burn, opening his eyes a fraction to see that the lava was right under him. Yami tried to climb higher up the figurehead but was kept in place by the demons, who were laughing at his panicked movements. He tried to scream, the sound cut off as a demon slashed his face. One hand reached up to protect his face from further attacks just as the lava began to inch up his body._

_Yami writhed in pain, the overload of his senses too much to allow him to scream. Slowly, his hands came loose from their place on the skull, sending him tumbling backwards into the lava. Yami scrambled at the semi-solid surface, looking over his shoulder in fright as the creature loomed over him, growling out his name in an almost caressing tone. "_**Atemu.**_"_

He sat up suddenly, hands reaching out for his watch so he could hold it close. He snapped it shut so he could run his fingers over the engraving on the front, leaning into the person who was supporting him. Yami could barely recognize anything, only registering shadows until his breathing calmed down. Then, he was able to hear the voice of the person who was holding him.

"It was only a dream. That's what you've always told me; dreams can never hurt you." Yami turned so he could look up at Yugi, a strained smile on his face.

"This one could, aibou." Yami cuddled closer to Yugi, relaxing to the ticking of his watch.

"Well, that must have been a proper nightmare, because you were screaming bloody murder." Yami gave Malinda a shaky smile, looking at all the kids that were clustered behind her in fear.

"We thought you were dying." Chazz spoke up, only to be tackled by a tearful Syrus. Malinda separated the two before rounding the others up, shooing them back to their beds. Yami smiled at her actions before the little stuffed Kuriboh was shoved in his face by Jaden.

"Here. I think you need Martin more than I do." Yami carefully took the offered stuffed toy and stared at it, shocked to find its once happy eyes suddenly angry. It felt like it didn't _want_ him to be holding it, like it wanted to get as far away from him as it could. Yami shifted the toy slightly, eyes widening as a high pitched voice echoed in his mind.

"_Atemu, you can never come back."_

Yami suppressed a shiver before handing the Kuriboh back to Jaden with a smile. "I'm fine now, but thank you. Keep this one safe, okay."

Jaden gave a happy nod before bouncing back over to his bed, leaving Yami to collapse back into Yugi. The younger teen helped him lay back down, curling into his usual position and letting Yami cuddle him. "Thank you, aibou."

"What are…friends for?" Yami didn't have time to thing on the hesitation in the teen's voice before he dropped back off to sleep.

* * *

Yugi turned his head at the sound of Malinda's return, giving a small wave to the woman as she knelt down in front of him. She gave the smaller teen a tender smile before absently beginning to braid a few locks of her hair. "He okay now?"

"Yeah, it's usually only one nightmare and then he's good for the rest of the night."

"Only one…How long has this been going on?"

"For as long as I've known him." Yugi gently stroked one of the arms that was wrapped around him, earning a purr from the teen behind him. "He only had one night free of nightmares and that was the first time I slept in his house. That one though was one of the worst."

"Scared the life out of me just listening to him. Do you know what they are about?"

Yugi gave a weak shrug. "He never talks about them, just acts like they don't exist. He'll hug me longer in the morning if it was bad."

Malinda gave a little hum before nodding and getting up. She smiled down at the two of them before walking off. "Get some sleep, Yugi."

Yugi nodded, leaning back into Yami to get him to roll over onto his back, intending to use the older teen as a pillow. Yugi snuggled into his chest, carefully shifting the watch over to the other side. Yami gave a grunt of discomfort, one hand reaching up to search for the watch before falling back around Yugi. The smaller teen sighed, a smile crossing his face as he drifted back off to sleep.

"Yugi?" His eyes snapped back open again, looking up at Malinda. "Has he had the watch for long?"

"Since I've known him. Why?"

"It's just that, it's the first thing he reached for after the nightmare, not you. Do you find that odd?" Yugi shook his head and Malinda walked away again, leaving them alone for the second time that night.

Yugi found himself staring at the golden watch, engaging in a staring contest with the eye engraved in the pyramid before he had to blink. Now that Malinda had mentioned it, Yami always seemed to be reaching for the watch when he was nervous or after a close call. And always after his nightmares. In fact, Yugi had only seen Yami take it off when he was going to take a shower, and even then the watch remained in the bathroom with him instead of dropped on the desk or bed.

But, then again, Yugi hadn't seen any really personal possessions of Yami's besides the crown, and that was more of a joke. The watch could have been a gift from the family that Yami refused to talk about, or a dear friend that Noa had killed before the attempt on Yami's life. Whatever the reason, the watch was important.

Yami whimpered under Yugi's cheek and Yugi, without really thinking, kissed his chest; freezing as soon as the action was finished. What had possessed him to do that?! He had always felt drawn to Yami, but because he was his rescuer, his rival, his teacher and his only friend in this world. Until he found where his grandpa was, Yami was the closest thing to family that Yugi had. And messing this up was not something Yugi wanted to do. He didn't want to be left out on the streets again for Noa to pick up.

Confused by the multitude of feelings rushing through his head, Yugi closed his eyes, managing to single out love as the main feeling before dropping to sleep.

* * *

"It was a simple task, was it not?" Noa was tapping on his desk again, speaking in that calm tone of voice that meant trouble. Weevil quelled under the glance, hating the feeling of déjà-vu. This was one situation he did not want to live over again.

Noa leaned forward. "It was simple. You just had to find one kid. One kid who looks totally different from all the rest. How is it so hard?"

"Well, sir, there are rumors…that…"

"I know!" A fist slammed into the wood of his desk, the rise in volume of his voice the only indication that he was close to loosing control. "And they have been confirmed. I know that he has the boy!"

"Well we find him, boss, and-"

"No." Noa stood up and walked from his desk, grabbing the back of Weevil's shirt and dragging him out of the office. He ignored the squirming henchman until they had reached the casino's main hall, now empty of all customers because of the rain storm. There, he threw Weevil to the floor, motioning for Keith and Kemo to come and retrieve his former right hand man. "There is no we, anymore, Weevil. Take care of him. I don't care how."

Noa spun back around, pausing long enough to call Rex to his side before storming back to his office. His newly appointed assistant flinched as Weevil began to scream, nearly racing through the office door ahead of Noa in his haste to get away from the sound. Noa smirked and gently shut the door, glad that his newest assistant would be more than happy to avoid pain. He strolled over to sit behind his desk. "So, have you heard the news?"

"About the Pha…Atemu? Yeah, I heard it." Well, at least this one was smart. "What's the plan for him, boss?"

"Knives…poison…the car didn't work." Noa went back to tapping on his desk, watching Rex fidget. "Something very special. Nothing but the best for my former partner."

"Well, I do know where to get a," Rex closed his eyes as he rattled off the name, "Flash Gordon Thermo-atomic Ray Gun."

Noa gave a faint chuckle before waving Rex off. "That sounds more like a kid's toy."

"No, it's like a machine gun…only a ray gun. It really works."

"It does." Noa found his attention being drawn by the mention of this weapon. He leaned over his desk, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as Rex mimicked the action.

"Yeah, it was taken off the market because it was so dangerous. My friend only has one because he bought it early. I can prove it."

"Good." Noa waved Rex away, dismissing him to his task. He leaned back and closed his eyes as the henchman scurried out, the smile refusing to leave his face. "Very good. What better way to welcome Atemu back than with a some…fireworks."

* * *

Bakura untangled himself from the covers and Ryou, sneaking out of the house while the sun was still rising. He rubbed his forehead for a moment, the combination of a hangover and the rising sun not helping his mood. But he needed to do this now, before Yami and the brat returned from their mission over at the old church.

The white haired thief strode through the quiet streets of the neighborhood, russet eyes narrowed partially in thought and partially against the glare of the new day. It was foolish to think that Noa had given up. If anything, Noa probably knew that his plan had not worked. What bothered Bakura now was the silence from Noa.

He knew people like Noa, they would jump in without a plan and, unlike himself, they would ultimately fail. But Noa was acting out of character; he was sitting back when he should have been acting. Yami had started being more open about his appearances, apparently thinking that Noa couldn't hurt him. Noa must have heard about Yami by now. And that put him on edge.

Yami might think he was invincible because he avoided death that one time, but Bakura knew otherwise. Bakura was very aware that he was mortal. He was also aware that Yami's actions would put not only himself, but Ryou in danger. It was the endangering of Ryou that Bakura couldn't stomach, for reasons that were quickly becoming apparent to him. But he was not about to distract himself with thoughts of his look alike.

Bakura shook his head before joining the scant foot traffic on the bridge to the better side of Domino. He had a mission to complete now. Because, for as long as Noa's pet stayed with them, they were all in trouble. And, while Bakura was happy to throw Yugi back into the streets, he wasn't quite callous enough to throw the boy back to Noa. So, for the first time in his memory, Bakura was going to do a good deed.

Yugi had mentioned visiting his grandfather in Domino when he had talked to Yami, sharing memories of the game shop that his grandfather owned. Ryou had been hanging around during this sharing session, searching for the attention that Yami had giving him in the past. The British teen had passed the information to Bakura earlier that night while they were drinking.

Bakura smirked at the memory of Ryou when he was drunk, quickly clamping down on the chuckle that tried to escape. There was a time and a place for these things. For now, he had to concentrate on finding that one shop to get rid of Yugi; to save his own skin at least. And it shouldn't be too hard, especially with most of the day left to him.

* * *

_I am very pleased about how that dream sequence came out. Please check out the original from the movie!  
_

_Enjoy. Constructive criticism is always welcome. But flames will be laughed at._


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs Go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything else belongs to me.

**

* * *

Chapter Ten**

Bakura slouched against the wall in front of the Palace of Thebes, watching as Yugi wandered over. He smothered a smirk as the boy noticed him and gave a shy wave. Bakura simply gave a nod before jerking his head to the side in a clear order for Yugi to come over to him. The young teen hesitated for a moment before wandering over.

"Afternoon, Bakura." The white haired man responded with a grunt, waving the cheery greeting away easily. He was too tired for cheer, especially after slinking around Domino at crazy hours in the morning after consuming large amounts of alcohol the evening before. He waited until Yugi's smile had dimmed a bit before he spoke.

"Found your grandfather; he lives in the game shop on Uno Street. Don't hug me." He held up his hands as Yugi moved forward, finding himself glaring at the boy. He could see a brief similarity between the brat and Ryou, the same sparkle in the eyes when they were happy. Bakura sneered, taking a step back from Yugi. "Now you can go back where you belong."

"Bakura…"

"Don't think that you can stay here. You're too different from the rest of us." Bakura shrugged his shoulders before turning around to walk off. "Anybody could look at you and see you belong on the 'proper' side of Domino. I'm surprised that the Pharaoh has put up your presence for all this time."

He could feel the question that Yugi longed to ask from the teen's stare on his back, but he wasn't about to stop to answer it. If Yugi wanted to find out more about his precious savior, he could go ask Yami himself. Bakura had done his one good deed and successfully transferred the danger to Ryou and himself away.

Yugi would demand to go back to his home and Yami would act according to his plan. And it would be the last time he saw Yugi, unless he had the back luck to walk into whatever casino Yami had dropped the brat off in.

* * *

Yugi felt his heart pounding quickly as he ran through the Palace of Thebes, flinging aside the curtain that hid the offices from the gamblers. He pounded down the corridor, barely having the time to throw open the office door before he ran into it. He got a brief glimpse of Yami sitting behind the desk, one hand on his forehead to support his whole head, before stumbling to an awkward stop.

He leaned over, hands pressed to his knees as he attempted to catch his breath. He heard Yami's soft noise of confusion before the older teen stood up and walked over to him. Yugi tensed a moment as Yami laid a hand on his shoulder. "Aibou?"

"Bakura…he…" Yugi shook his head, needing more time to catch his breath. Beside him, Yami tensed, the hand on his shoulder clenching for a moment before relaxing.

"What did Bakura do?" There was coldness in Yami's voice that made Yugi repress a shiver. He had never heard the older teen use that tone of voice, even when taunting customers that challenged him. Yugi straightened up, the hand on his shoulder sliding off to come to rest by Yami's side.

"Nothing like that. Bakura found where my grandfather lives." Some emotion flashed through Yami's eyes, too fast for Yugi to quite catch what it was. He rushed on before he lost the courage to speak. "So, that means I can go home. I mean, it should be safe because you've let us travel more out in the open."

"But I…" Yami glanced down at him; the usually bright eyes now a duller crimson as he worked over the information given to him. Yugi shifted backward as Yami's posture slumped by the minutest amount. "You really want to go. Now?"

He had intended to leave as soon as possible. After all, he didn't have much to pack. But, why did it hurt so much to contemplate saying goodbye? It wasn't as if he had ever considered just sneaking away as soon as it was safe. Ryou and Yami had become too important to him to just leave behind without an explanation.

Yugi looked at his shoes, scuffing them across the carpet. "Well, not _now_ now. But, yeah, I want to go home."

Was it his imagination or did Yami actually flinch? Yugi bit his lower lip, worrying it as he waited for a reaction from Yami. Any kind of motion or speech. Anything but the stunned silence that was drifting out between them.

Yugi risked a glance up at Yami when the silence began to grate on his nerves. Something had been telling him to get out of the room as fast as he could, but he couldn't just leave right then. And he was glad of that decision when he looked up at his friend.

The regal posture that Yami always held hadn't been disturbed much, but it was stiffer than usual. It was his eyes that gave the most away. The red eyes stared directly over his head at the wall, empty and unfocused. A motion from Yami's hand made Yugi tear his gaze away from the frightening lack of life in Yami's eyes. His stomach dropped as he watched one hand inch up to grasp the gold watch that hung around Yami's neck, the familiar motion revealing much.

Yami only reached for the watch when he was scared or something was putting him on edge, something dangerous. It was the first thing he reached for in times of trouble or when he was physically threatened. That his hand had went for the watch meant more than anything that Yami had said.

Yugi reached out to touch Yami's hand, startling the older teen as he gently pulled the watch from his grasp and intertwined their fingers. Yugi gave Yami a weak smile before rubbing his thumb over the back of the hand, waiting until the older teen was focused on him again.

Yami looked down at their hands, watching as Yugi swung them lightly. He didn't seem to register what was going on, just following the back and forward motion with his eyes. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, he sighed. "What do you want to do, aibou?"

"Spend one more day together." Yugi strengthened his smile, pulling Yami close. "Just forget about this place and wander around."

When Yami opened his mouth to argue, Yugi gave his hand a squeeze. "Please, for me. It wouldn't kill you to take a break."

The red eyes dropped to look at the watch hanging around his neck before rising back to look at Yugi. There was a nod, so tiny that if he hadn't been looking for it, Yugi would have missed it.

"Alright. And then, tomorrow," Yami's voice dropped, becoming a whisper so faint that Yugi could barely hear it, "I'll take you home."

"Okay. Mana told me about this cool market that's going on close to the river." Yugi tugged Yami's hand and led him out of the office and onto the street, still wary of the way the older teen meekly followed along. Once out in the sunlight, Yugi pulled him into a hug before pulling him forward again, relieved to feel a little more life in his friend.

* * *

"Boss?"

"Hmmm?" The uninterested hum came from behind the desk as Noa continued to scribble on the page before him.

"The P…Atemu has left the Palace of Thebes, heading for the market."

Noa dropped his pen, a finger tapping on the wood. "Really. Is everything ready?"

"It will take time, boss. It's a complicated set up."

Noa waved the worries away. "Never mind. Just have someone watching Atemu and my little prize. Have it ready to go."

"Won't you be there, boss?"

He had turned back to his work, the pen scratching lightly on the paper. Noa glanced up once to glare at Rex. "If I can, I will be. If not, bring me the body. I want to make sure that he stays dead this time!"

* * *

Yami barely noticed the bright stalls and glittering objects that surrounded the two of them; he was only aware of the bouncing presence of Yugi as the younger teen flitted from stall to stall. He was too busy trying to comprehend what was happening.

The announcement that Yugi had found where his grandfather was surprised him, shocking him into silence. And then, it had hurt. Hurt so much that he had reached for his watch to be sure that his heart was still beating. To make sure that he was still alive. To be sure that this wasn't just another one of his nightmares.

And he knew that he allowed this to go too far.

If it hurt to let go of his little pawn, his little revenge scheme, his aibou; then he had allowed himself to go too far.

It was all the fault of his nature. Deep down, past the hard exterior that he had put on to protect himself from the world after what had happened to his family, he still cared. There were a few that he allowed to see past it and a few that snuck in without his permission. Yugi was one of the latter.

He had always been taking people in until they could stand on their feet, telling himself that it was just one less person for the police of Domino to pick up and ruin. But it had always hurt that bit more when they had left to live their life. That's why he was so happy that Ryou had stuck while others had drifted. Why Yugi was such a big deal pulled at him, because the kid had literally meant nothing to him.

Yami stopped in the middle of the market, staring after Yugi as he ducked out of one stall and wandered across the street to another. The younger teen watched the dance of wraps as a light breeze wandered through the stall that held them, purple eyes sparkling and holding Yami spellbound.

Yugi had once meant next to nothing to him. Now, he was precious to Yami. He now meant more than Yami's own life; the life he had struggled to get back and probably damned himself to hell for.

A choked noise escaped his throat, drawing Yugi's attention back to him. "Yami? Are you alright?"

He managed a sharp nod before forcing himself forward to walk beside Yugi. The usual mask slipped on easily, the one of uncaring nonchalance. He didn't want Yugi to waste his time worrying about him. Not when this may be the last time that he would see Yugi smile. After all, he was a wanted man over in Domino. And he never had been able to force himself to cross the river again, not after what happened to his sister.

A small hand slipped into his, fingers sliding between his as Yugi pulled Yami closer to him. Yami allowed the contact, resisting the urge to close his eyes and savor the feeling. This would be the last time; he was not going to get involved in something that could shatter his already fragile psyche. Especially if it was going to add more fodder to his nightmares.

Movement in the shadows off to the side caught his attention. Yami was about to write it off when he caught the gleam of sunlight on metal. He turned his head to focus on the motion, eyes widening as he watched the figure slink along with them, a bulky shadow being held awkwardly.

Yami walked faster, tugging Yugi along behind him. He cursed himself silently. He had been too distracted with his thoughts and fears to notice anything around him. Hadn't he learned from the last time to pay more attention? Or would it take another car? As he seethed, he searched for a place where they could hide.

His eyes fell on an abandoned theater, a short sigh of relief escaping him as he jerked Yugi into a run. Keeping an eye on their pursuer, he hurried Yugi toward their hideout. The urge to hang onto the watch that swung wildly on the end of the chain grew with every step, a sure sign that danger was coming. He could trust in instincts on that.

"What's going on?" Yami shot Yugi a look, begging him to be quiet a few moments more. A split second later, he yanked Yugi around the corner of a building. He got a flash of brown hair before a gunshot went off, triggering screams as people ran for cover. By his side, Yugi yelped and used his free hand to cover his head.

Yami hissed in displeasure, now sprinting for the chosen cover. Kemo was here, which meant that Keith and Noa would not be too far behind. If he had _thought_ for once instead of letting his emotions drag him around, he would have been safe. _Yugi_ would have been safe.

He bounded up the stairs to the old building, shoving Yugi through before throwing himself in afterward; one hand keeping a hold of the door to swing himself around. Yami pressed his back against the partially open door, trying to calm his breathing enough to look out. He risked a glance back at Yugi, swallowing quickly as he saw the smaller teen trembling.

"Yami," Yugi took a single step forward before Yami waved him back. The small teen shivered in place, pitching his voice to a whisper. "I heard gunshots. What's going on out there?"

"Noa." Yami inched toward the small space that the wood of the door allowed to remain open, turning his back on Yugi. "He's found us."

"What do we do?" Yami ignored the question as he looked outside, carefully scanning the street in front of them before daring to open the door wider and poke his head out. One hand grabbed the watch, pressing it close to his body to protect it from any harm.

The street in front of the theater was empty, and there were no sounds coming from the market; meaning that Noa and his goons had moved off or they were coming this way. Either way, a retreat would be the best tactic for now. Especially since he had Yugi tagging along after him; the smaller teen not knowing the streets as well as he or Ryou would.

He shook himself out of his reverie and pulled his head back in, slowly shutting the door behind him. Yami then turned to look at Yugi, offering a wavering smile as he crossed the room to pull the teen into a hug. "It's alright, aibou. We'll get out of here. Now, stay quiet and follow me."

Yami pulled away and began to make his way across the room, not liking how the floorboards creaked under his boots. Cautiously, he inched over to a red carpet with faux ermine edges. The floor might be more stable closer to the walls. He was about to step onto the gaudy carpet when the floor beneath his feet gave out, broken boards looking like teeth around a gaping maw.

His eyes opened wide as his mind supplied images from his dreams.

_Fire blasted from below as a circular hole was opened up in the ground, a funnel of wind dissipating the fire as it reached the surface. The tornado turned lazily for a moment, enjoying its fiery treat before beginning to spin in earnest, pulling Yami back toward the glowing rent in the earth. He dropped to his knees under the force and clawed at the ground, trying to pull himself back, but the pull of the tornado was too strong._

"Aibou!" He saw Yugi's hand at the last moment, reaching out for it; the tips of his fingers brushed against it as he passed. His scream ended in a whimper as the light dropped away in front of him.

There was a squeak just before the sound of cracking repeated itself. Yami saw the light blocked as the carpet fell through a moment behind him. He could make out another darker shadow that flailed before he hit the bottom of his fall, grunting before the water rushed in around him.

He opened his eyes in shock and went to sit up, images of the last time he had been underwater plaguing him. Yami arched backward as something pulled at his neck, bubbles escaping his mouth as he let out his breath. His hands went to the thing around his neck, trying to release the pressure, but it would not grow slack. Finally, becoming frantic, Yami yanked the thing over his head and sat up with a gasp.

He scrambled to his feet, coughing and stumbling over to the lump that the carpet had made. He fell onto the damp fabric, hands fisting in it as he tried to calm his breathing, still weakly coughing as he tried to remove the water from his lungs. Yami shivered slightly as the cold air touched his soaked clothes, closing his eyes in misery.

"Yami?" He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, shaking him as he didn't respond immediately. Weakly, he let his eyes open. Yugi peered worriedly down at him, dropping to his knees in relief when he realized that Yami was still alive. The smaller teen managed to take a deep breath before draping himself over Yami's back and hugging him awkwardly. "You scared me."

Yami pushed himself up, peeling Yugi from him and rolling to lie on his back. When Yugi whimpered from the sudden loss of contact, Yami pulled him closer, burying his face in Yugi's tri-colored hair. "'m sorry."

The smaller teen nodded, shivering in the embrace before giving a weak cough. Yami gave a worried hum before pulling away to look at Yugi. "Are you okay?"

"Cold. Just very cold. Soaking wet and cold." Yugi cuddled closer, pressing one hand over Yami's heart. Yami spent a moment just holding him close, thankful that they were both okay. Another cough from Yugi made him pull away, guiding the teen to sit on the carpet. He had to get them both out of here before they caught something from being soaked in frigid water. Yami rubbed his arms to try and warm up; looking down as he realized that he was missing something. The familiar comfortable weight of his watch was missing.

He panicked, standing up quickly, one hand running around his neck and down his chest as he searched for the cold circle of metal. He looked down at his feet, dropping to his knees to run his hands over the carpet.

"What are you looking for?"

"My watch." The reply was curt and made Yugi flinch back. Yami winced himself, not wanting to act so harshly toward the smaller teen, but the panic building in him made thinking clearly difficult.

"Maybe it's in the water."

Yami froze on the spot, turning his eyes to the inky water that surrounded them. One hand twitched on the carpet, wanting to reach up and hold the watch as he remembered the stranglehold on his neck when he had landed. He had pulled his watch off, probably because it had been stuck on something. But that meant that it was still submerged. "No."

He stood up before stepping back into the water, trying to see past the dark surface. How long did he have before the watch filled with water and he died? Then how would Yugi get out of here? How would Yugi get back home? Yami shook the thoughts out of his head, trudging through the deep water with one hand pressed over his heart; the steady beat the only thing that convinced him that he was still alive. Even then, he could hear the seconds of his life ticking away.

Wait. Ticking?

Yami spun around to face Yugi, shivering as he listened for the faint sound. "Can you hear that?"

Yugi tipped his head to the side, eyes screwed shut as he listened for anything. "The ticking? Yeah."

"Good." Yami renewed his search for the watch, dropping to his knees in the water to run his hands over the bottom he could not see. It had to be here somewhere. He could hear it. And he was still alive. There was still a chance. A smile twitched across his face. There was still a…

Abruptly the ticking stopped, Yami freezing in place as he tried to breathe. For a moment or two, no air passed through his lungs and his eyes widened in fright. As if he were miles away, Yami could hear Yugi moving, wading through the water as he approached him. "Yami?"

Finally, Yami was able to breathe, dropping forward onto his hands and knees as he sucked in deep breaths of air. He savored the feeling, wishing that these weren't his last moments; trapped in a flooded basement of a derelict theater. Even now he could feel his heart slowing down as his life drained away. He groaned and dropped his head. He thought that the end would have come quickly, instead of letting him linger.

"Yami? Are you okay? Yami! You're scaring me! Say something!"

He looked up, a weak smile on his face as he saw Yugi kneeling in front of him. The younger teen was shivering, tears beginning to run down his cheeks. Or that might have been drops of water from his hair. Thinking required too much effort at the moment.

Yami shifted before reaching up one hand to cup Yugi's cheek, sighing when the smaller teen placed his own hand over Yami's, holding it there. Yami stared directly at Yugi, making sure that he had the whole of the younger teen's attention before speaking. "Good-bye Yugi."

"Good-bye? Where are you going?" His quavering limbs couldn't support him anymore. His eyes flickered closed as his head dropped, chin resting against his chest. Yami swayed a bit before he felt the arm he was supporting himself give way, allowing him to fall into the water as Yugi cried out. "Yami!"

He hit the water, floating in the cold for a moment before he was pulled up against something warm. He could barely hear Yugi's harsh breathing and the frantic calls of his name. Yami just allowed himself to relax back against Yugi as his end came rushing upon him again.

"Atemu, you can never come back. You can never come-" He shot up from Yugi's lap as the familiar voice rang out. Yami looked around him, standing up as he noticed the stranger that was holding his watch; shut again so the horrible voice couldn't be heard anymore.

The stranger was clothed in a white robe, which he allowed to touch the water, and a turban wrapped around his head. Yami had a glimpse of empty blue eyes as the man glanced over at the two of them before he spoke in a guttural language. Seemingly appearing from thin air, other men moved from the shadows, some of them carrying knives while others carried rope.

Yami reached down to pull Yugi up before shifting the younger teen behind him. He watched as the men circled them, all looking toward their leader as he uttered another string of commands before pointing at Yami. Two of the men with rope looked at each other before advancing. Yami snarled and reached a hand back for Yugi, only to find that he wasn't there.

He spun around, red eyes darkening as he saw Yugi struggling in the hold of two other men. Forgetting about the others heading for him, Yami broke into a run. He was tackled into the water in the next moment, his face pushed into the bottom as the two men tied him up. Yami wiggled and tried to escape, bucking helplessly to get the men off him. They held him under the water until he was close to losing consciousness, mentally begging them to let him up. He didn't want to drown again.

Just as blackness was beginning to nip at the edges of his vision, the men hauled him up, one throwing Yami over his shoulder before moving over to their leader. Yami heard the jingle of the chain as the leader fiddled with the watch before the guttural order to move off. He sighed and allowed himself to hang limply over the man's shoulder, fighting the lethargy that was assaulting him.

_

* * *

And so the plot thickens. Read and review please. Your kind words always make my day._


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

**

* * *

Chapter Eleven**

Yami was shaken out of his half conscious state as he was thrown to the floor, grunting at the impact of his back against wood. He glared at the men before rolling over onto his stomach. His eyes immediately fell on Yugi, watching as the boy stirred. Violet eyes opened slowly and a whimper escaped the small teen. Yami glanced up at their captors before shifting over to the teen and pushed his side against Yugi's, his own hands bound behind his back.

"Yami?" Yugi's voice was soft, almost too soft. The teen sat up and wrapped his arms around his chest, the shivers coming at shorter intervals now. "I thought…What was that before?"

"Aibou, I-"

"So, you are the one they call the Pharaoh." Yami turned his head to glare at the leader of the group, snarling as the man absentmindedly stroked the watch. The man openly scoffed at him before turning aside and walking to the end of the platform that they were on. "You are the one that was proclaimed to be dead."

"Yami?" He rested his head on Yugi's shoulder for a moment, a substitute for holding the younger teen's hand.

"They were wrong."

The man smiled, the expression more haunting that reassuring. Yami found himself shifting so that he was in front of Yugi, protecting him from the man. "So they were, Pharaoh. So they were. But that matters little right now. We have been waiting for you."

"Waiting?" Yami blinked quickly, thrown by the sudden change of subject.

"Yes. One who proclaims himself Pharaoh and has beaten the god Osiris…" Yami stopped listening as the man kept talking. This guy was crazy! He wasn't a real Pharaoh. He hadn't even escaped death! His eyes locked on the watch that still hung from around the man's neck, working his hands to see if he could undo the rope. "Do you accept our challenge?"

"No." Yami snarled out the syllable, slowly standing up since he couldn't untie his hands.

"A shame." The man shook his head, motioning vaguely with one hand. Two men walked up to grab Yami's arms, manhandling him to the edge of the platform. Yami got a glimpse of the black water below, a single ripple marring the otherwise smooth surface. "Ammut would have enjoyed the battle to possess such a strong soul. It is disappointing that you will not even fight."

Yami felt his mouth go dry, the few memories of his childhood returning. Ammut was the monster that sat near Anubis. He tried to remember what its place had been in the complex religion which held the Egyptian gods. He let his eyes fall shut as he frantically tried to remember. Ammut sat next to Anubis during the weighing of the souls. Ammut ate the souls that did not pass judgment. Ammut, the eater of souls. Then, that ripple in the water…

He had no time to finish the thought before the rope around his wrists was cut and he was shoved forward into the water. Yami took a deep breath before he hit the surface, keeping his eyes open in the foolish hope that he would see the creature they called Ammut. Instead, he couldn't see a thing. Yami struck out for the surface, pushing his head out of the water with a gasp.

From his position, he could see Yugi struggling up on the platform. But his eyes were drawn quickly to the leader, who was holding his watch out over the water. Yami narrowed his eyes before swimming over to where the golden watch dangled, glaring up at the man. "Give that back to me, now."

"Why? I will not give up something that will feed my followers for days. You would not have much use for it."

There was something in the man's tone that made Yami turn around. The ripple was back, and it was heading toward him. He pressed close to one of the posts that held the platform up, trying to clamber up it to get away from the creature that was moving through the water. The man smirked down at him. "But if it pleases you, my 'Pharaoh', I will give you what you want."

Three things happened in quick succession.

First, the watch was dropped down to him, the chain caught neatly in his outstretched hand. Yami smiled at the golden watch, draping it over his neck before wrapping his hand around it. The comforting tick relaxed him as he held the watch above the water.

Second, Yugi was shoved over the side. He flailed as he fell, hitting the water and sliding beneath the surface. The smaller teen appeared a moment later, swimming quickly for the closest pillar and pulling himself close to it. He gave a small whimper before looking over at Yami. Yami was about to swim over to him when the third thing occurred.

Something grabbed a hold of his pant leg and pulled him under more gently than he expected. Yami gulped in a mixture of air and water as he submerged, the hand that wasn't clenched around the watch brushing against scales. His eyes widened in fear as he pushed back to the surface, spitting a small amount of water from his mouth. His free hand clawed at the pole as the leader spoke from the platform, the white robe falling back from his hands as he raised his arms in supplication.

"Ammut has chosen her victim. She will take the stronger soul first and feed." Yami glared up at the man in amazement, his mind hardly comprehending the words. "Pharaoh, you have been judged unworthy!"

Yami was pulled back under again. This time the tug lacked the former gentleness. He felt teeth scrape against his leg, breaking through denim and skin before drawing blood. Yami pushed away from the creature, breaking to the surface again. He held the watch above his head, treading water and watching with horror as the ripple returned to the surface. Water sluiced off the back of the alligator as it moved closer to the surface.

"Get out of here, aibou!" He screamed out the words before he was pulled back under again. Yami lashed out with one hand, hoping to strike the alligator and give him some time to escape. He missed, but the motion caused him to accidentally open the watch that was held in the other hand, light pouring out of it as the voice continued to intone its message.

"Atemu, you can never come back. You can never come back."

The alligator shied away from the suddenly light, giving Yami the chance to swim away. He mentally winced at the thought of holding the watch underwater for so long, but kept going, smiling as he spotted a small island. He struck out for the surface, grabbing onto the edge of the island with both hands before hauling himself up. Yami jumped away from the edge as Ammut slammed into it, writhing in place before slipping back into the water.

Yami collapsed on the island, breath coming in pants as he came down from the adrenaline rush. He glanced over at Yugi, who had managed to clamber up the pole, far enough away from the reach of the alligator. Exhausted and feeling a bit sick, Yami flopped backwards on the piece of land.

But the moment of peace did not last. The water stirred violently as Ammut launched itself out of the water again, claws scrambling at the earth as it pulled its bulk onto dry land. Yami glanced up from where he lay on the ground, eyes widening at the sight of the alligator hovering above him. He reacted by crossing his arms over his face, one hand still holding the watch as he pressed himself back into the ground.

The watch snapped open again, golden light shinning from it as the message repeated itself over and over again to the pulsing light. The alligator snarled and backed off, snapping its jaws shut irritably before leaning forward again. A little light was not going to deter it from its meal.

Yami heard the tick of the watch speeding up in time to his frantically beating heart, the organ feeling like it was going to punch a hole through his chest. He fought to control the rising panic, closing his eyes and trying to slow his breathing from the frantic panting that it had become. All of his efforts were lost as the voice emitting from the watch changed from the stern voice of Isis to the rumble of the demon.

"**Atemu, you can never go back. You can never go back. You belong to me.**"

Before his eyes, the shadows that the light caused seemed to create the form of the demon, wings spread and jaws open as he leaned over Yami and Ammut. The alligator seemed to sense the new presence because it turned to peer at the shadows on the walls and the water before sliding back into its domain, leaving Yami to quiver under the red gaze of the demon.

It extended a shadowy hand, claws seeking to caress his cheek. Yami twitched away, earning a hiss from the creature as it retreated. "**Your soul belongs to me, Atemu.**"

"No." The denial was a weak whisper as Yami curled up on himself, cradling the still open watch close as if it could protect him from the demon.

The demon chuckled. "**You gave up your right to argue when you returned to earth. You are **_**mine**_**, Atemu.**"

"Yami." There was a loud snap as the watch was closed, the shadows and demon disappearing in the same moment. Yami glanced down at his hands, trying to comprehend how the demon had been banished so quickly. Incomprehension kept him from reacting for a long moment, just watching as Yugi moved to help him stand up, keeping one of his hands over the one that Yami held the watch in. "It's okay. The alligator is gone."

"Gone?" There was a quaver to his voice. Ammut was no longer his worry; it was that demon that had appeared when he opened the watch. What if that came back? The alligator could kill him easily, but he wasn't as afraid as he should have been. He had already faced death once and come out the better for it. But that demon, it had the power to steal his soul away; take him away without any hope of return.

"Yeah, it just ran off. Those strange men are gone too." Yami spent a moment just leaning on Yugi as his thoughts struggled to sort themselves out, finally slipping into a numb state without thinking. It was easier to make sense of the world like this for now. He was forced out of his comfortable numb state when he felt Yugi shivering by his side.

"A…aibou?" He had to swallow part way through his question, finally letting go of the death grip he had on his watch to hold Yugi up as the younger teen sagged.

"I don't feel too good, Yami."

"I'll get you home, promise." Yugi nodded before letting his head rest on Yami's shoulder with a tired sigh. Yami slipped a hand around Yugi's waist as he turned them both, looking for a way out of their predicament.

As Yugi had said, the men who had dragged them here were gone. Probably in shock that their beast had been sent so easily away. He should have felt pride that he had bested them, but he was too busy worrying about the teen that he held close to him. And, for once, the fact that he was putting Yugi first did not bother him. He didn't want to contemplate what would have happened to him if Yugi hadn't shut the watch.

His eyes traveled over the walls, stopping when he saw another slip of land that seemed to lead up to a hole in the walls. Yami maneuvered them to the edge of their little island, squinting through the near darkness to read the words of the worn sign that hung about the hole. A corner of his mouth twitched up in an attempt to smile as he read, 'To Domino'. Yami looked over at Yugi, who was blinking in an attempt to stay awake. "You up for another swim."

"I don't-"

"I'll help you. Just hang on until I get you home, okay. Don't fall asleep on me." There was no response from the teen, the silence hurrying Yami onward. He couldn't lose Yugi now.

Cautiously, he slipped into the water, reaching up to hold onto the land with the hand that wasn't holding Yugi close to him. He let them both drift in the frigid water for a moment, just to be sure that Ammut wasn't interested in coming back. When he was sure of their safety, Yami began swimming for the spit of land he had seen, dragging Yugi with him.

One part of his mind worried over his watch, paranoid that the long exposure to water would cause it to stop. But it was quickly drowned out as Yugi gave a weak cough, turning his head so that it rested better on Yami's shoulder. The watch didn't matter, his life didn't matter at the moment.

His arms were trembling as he scrambled for a hold on the spit of land, bracing himself and pushing Yugi up onto it before following himself. He managed to get halfway out of the water before he collapsed, coughing the small amount of water that had gotten in his mouth during the swim out. One hand reached up to tug the watch off his head, holding it close to his ear to listen to the steady tick. There was no hesitation in the sound, no sign that the piece had suffered any damage during the escapade.

With a sigh, Yami slipped the watch back around his head before hauling himself fully onto land. He staggered to his feet, pulling Yugi up with him before stumbling toward the tunnel that would lead back to Domino; hopefully to the right part of Domino. He tried to walk faster as he felt Yugi's shivers increase.

"Hang on, aibou. Just a little while longer, and we'll be out. I promise."

"Mm, Yami."

"Yes, Yugi." He tipped his head toward the boy, half afraid to look down. Yami let out a breath that he hadn't realized that he was holding when Yugi shifted in his hold.

"'M tired."

"Stay awake. You're too heavy to lug around for long." Yami smiled at the weak poke that was aimed at his side. At least Yugi had no intention of giving up at this point. He adjusted his grip so that his arm was wrapped more securely around Yugi's waist before attempting to move them both faster.

* * *

Noa glared in the direction that Rex had taken off in, ready to give up the chase and head back to the _Baroness_. His casino needed him more than this useless hunt. There would always be another day to find Yami. He smothered that optimistic thought in the next moment, gritting his teeth.

No, there might not be. Not anymore. Yami wasn't dumb. He wouldn't stick around if guns were being fired. Noa had just given himself away. Yami would duck back into hiding and take that brat with him. And Noa would lose his prize.

His head jerked up as Rex came running back, the usual red hat that he wore pushed further back on his head. Noa didn't stop his glaring, inwardly smiling at the way his lackey came to an immediate stop, almost falling on his face from the momentum. "Well?"

"Found them, boss. They're on the other side of this market, heading back for that dump of a neighborhood." Noa nodded, already picturing where his former partner and prize were heading for.

"They'll probably go slinking into a supporter's house to hide them." Noa motioned for Kemo and Keith to come closer, making sure to sharpen his glare at Rex as he spoke. "Get over there as quickly as you can. Shoot at anyone that tries to stop you, but don't you dare hit the boy. I want Atemu's body on my desk by tonight."

Noa turned and strode off before any of them had the chance to argue with him. He wasn't too worried about the plan, especially since he had Kemo and Keith there to keep Rex in line while he was gone.

* * *

Yugi had gained enough energy to stumble along behind Yami, the hand that the older teen held tightly the only thing that kept him in the right direction. He was just too tired to care about anything at the moment, eyes drooping shut as he struggled to keep up with the long stride. "Please, slow down."

There was sympathy in Yami's gaze as he looked back at Yugi. "I can't, aibou. We need to get back soon. Noa wouldn't have given up on getting us…and it's too dangerous for you to stop. Keep moving and you'll stay warm. I promise."

Yugi managed a sleepy nod before jogging a few strides, now at Yami's side so he could lean on the older teen. He felt Yami stiffen with the motion and, for a moment, he thought he was going to be pushed away. Instead, he felt an arm slide around his waist and pull him close to Yami. A smile crossed his face before he let his head drop to rest on Yami's shoulder.

He sighed at the warmth that came from the older teen. He felt protected and warm, something that he never wanted to give up. Trepidation raised its head again as he relished the feeling of Yami holding him so close. Did he really want to go back to his grandfather's?

He hadn't seen his grandfather in a good few years, the exact timing escaping his mind at the moment. Going back had been the one thing he had thought of during his captivity; going back to a family that loved him. Going back to a place where he had been happy before and felt safe. Wasn't that his whole reason for going back; to return to the atmosphere that he loved?

It hadn't been a problem until he had met Yami, and found a similar place where he felt at home. But, Bakura had said it himself, he didn't belong here. He wouldn't be able to survive over on this side of the river as long as Noa was around. It was safer for him to go back to his grandfather, safer for Yami too.

But that just brought up the problem of leaving again; the idea making his stomach twist disconcertingly.

Yugi moaned and buried his head into where Yami's shoulder met his neck, earning a confused hum from the older teen. "Yugi?"

"Miss you. Don't want to go." His head nearly fell from its perch as Yami came to an abrupt stop, making a weak noise of protest as he was pulled away from the safety and warmth. Yugi raised his eyes to meet Yami's, swaying as he tried to step back from the confusion he saw in them. Yami had never been confused or anything but resolute for the entire time he had known him. What had brought this on?

"Yugi, what do you…" Yami trailed off and stiffened, looking at intently at something just over Yugi's shoulder. The smaller tri-color haired teen tried to turn around, but Yami's hands on his shoulders kept him facing forward. Yami glanced down, rubbing Yugi's arms to return some of the younger teen's scattered mind. "Listen. Run when I tell you. Keep going down this street and it will start to look familiar. Get into the house and downstairs as quickly as possible."

"You-"

"Will be right behind you." Yami turned him so he was facing him the right way before giving Yugi a little push before bellowing, "Run!"

The shout startled Yugi's lethargic limbs into action, adrenaline rushing through his system as he stumbled into a run. He cast a quick look over his shoulder at the curses that came from behind him, recognizing the voices of Keith and Kemo. He didn't get to see the thugs as Yami blocked his view, right behind him as he had said.

Yami gave him a glare and shoved his shoulder, making Yugi pitch forward. "Don't look back! Just run!"

Yugi followed the order, forcing himself to sprint. He heard Yami's pounding footsteps behind him, keeping up easily despite the pace that Yugi was setting. He allowed himself a second of envy for the older teen and his longer legs before throwing all his concentration into running.

The two dashed down the street, which was surprisingly empty. Yugi was beginning to feel the start of relief. There were no sounds of pursuit and no more shots aimed at them as they ran. They were just four houses away from Yami's when Yugi was about to suggest slowing down. The words died on his tongue as Rex emerged from the shadows of the alleyway, a strange looking gun cradled in his hands.

Yugi yelped as Yami pushed past him, punching Rex in the stomach before the lackey had the chance to fire. Yugi didn't bother looking over his shoulder, ducking his head as his hand reached into his pocket for the key to the house. His fingers closed around the small piece of metal as he realized that Yami wasn't following him.

He slammed into the door, fumbling with the key as he looked back to where Rex had appeared. He got a glimpse of Yami as he walked calmly into the alleyway before the door gave way and he shoved himself into the house, slamming the door behind him. Yugi smiled to himself, leaning against the wood as he tried to catch his breath. They had got away.

His euphoria disappeared as gun shots rang out, each with a distinctive _zing_ to them that Yugi had thought was reserved for science fiction. There was a pause before four more shots were fired, leaving silence behind them. Yugi pressed his hands over his mouth to block a sob as he backed away from the door.

Yami was still out there. He had gone after Rex, leaving Yugi to race to the house. And Rex had been holding a gun. Yugi trembled at the thought, his back hitting the opposite wall. Rex had a gun, and he used it. And Rex would be coming after him next. He didn't want to go back to that place!

Yugi stumbled forward, fumbling over the lock to the door as he attempted to see through his tears. He finally turned away from the door, rushing over to the door that led to the living quarters of the house, Yami's orders still swirling around in his head. _"Get into the house and downstairs as quickly as possible."_

He threw open the door and slammed it shut behind him, locking it before rushing down the stairs. Yugi's legs wobbled and finally gave out as he jumped from the stairs, his momentum sending him into the living room. He gave a whimper before curling up close to the couch, hugging himself as he finally let himself cry.

It just wasn't fair! They had been so close, almost safe, almost home. And then…this. Yugi bit down on his lower lip as he trembled. Another person he loved lost because of him. If he had been faster. If he had been stronger. If he had not hesitated when Rex first appeared. All of those ifs didn't matter. All that mattered was that Yami had been stolen from him; and it hurt as much as it had when his mother had been killed.

He choked on his next breath, shuddering as he tried to draw in air to keep him alive. The one person that meant the world to him was gone. And it was Noa's fault again! Yugi stopped trying to muffle his sobs, gasping out Yami's name when he could.

Slowly, he became aware of someone moving upstairs. Yugi clamped a hand over his mouth, violet eyes widening in fear as he looked up, tracing the footsteps as they made their way across the room above him. Yugi gulped before scrambling to his feet and fleeing for Yami's bedroom. Hopefully whoever was upstairs would not find the secret door and not follow him. If they did, he could always barricade himself in the room until Bakura or Ryou returned.

Yugi slammed the door to the dark room shut behind him, backing away quickly as he heard the creak of the stairs. The person was coming down. In his mind, the horrific images of a grinning, blood spattered Rex advanced through the house toward him. Noa wouldn't want him back after he had escaped once. He was next! Yugi sank onto the bed, drawing the covers around him. He was going to die!

It took an eternity for the person to walk down the hallway, not bothering to keep silent. Yugi's heart started beating faster as the knob to the room twisted, remembering that he hadn't bothered to lock the door. He whimpered and pulled the covers up over his head, suddenly unable to stop shivering.

"Yugi?" He let out a broken sob at the familiar deep voice. The covers were pulled away as Yugi launched himself at Yami, wrapping his arms around the older teen and pressing himself close as tears ran down his cheeks. He barely felt Yami pick him up and carry him back over to the bed, wrapping Yugi in his arms. "Aibou?"

"I thought they got you." Yugi sniffed, pressing his face against Yami's chest. "I thought Rex had shot you and was coming for me."

He felt movement as Yami reached for his watch, the cold metal bumping gently into Yugi's cheek as Yami caressed the engraving. "So did I, aibou. So did I."

They spent a few long minutes in silence as Yugi calmed down, the tears dissolving into weak hiccups before falling to the sound of chattering teeth. Yami shifted him away from his side, looking down at the younger teen with worry. Yugi tried to snuggle back into the warmth, miserably glancing up at Yami as he continued to hold him away. "'M cold, Yami. So cold."

Yami nodded stripping the soaked jacket off Yugi before wrapping him up in the blankets. He hesitated for a moment, looking back toward the door before joining Yugi. The younger teen made a small sound of happiness before cuddling close to Yami and drifting off to sleep. Just before Yugi drifted into the blackness that beckoned to him, he felt Yami rest a hand on his forehead for a moment before removing it.

_

* * *

We're entering the home stretch now. Please read and review. Criticism, as always, is greatly appreciated._


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

**

* * *

Chapter Twelve**

"What do you mean you failed? It was straightforward enough. Shoot Atemu and leave the brat alive. How have you failed?!"

Rex ducked backward, hands raised to cover his head as Noa leaned over his desk and bellowed at him. He felt his knees shaking, swallowing harshly as he heard Noa moving around the wooden piece of furniture. He whimpered as his head was forced up, meeting the cold blue eyes of his employer. "Answer me. Or do you want to be like Weevil? Do you still remember his screams?"

Rex nodded quickly, shaking as Noa let go of him and backed away. He opened his mouth, spending a moment searching for his voice before he spoke. "We couldn't get Atemu or the kid. I thought I had him for a moment, but he managed to escape."

"Remind me why I should keep you here?"

"I know where he lives! We could snatch the kid when he leaves the house!" Rex fell to his knees, positioning himself like a supplicant. "Please, just one more chance, boss! I can get this right. You'll have the kid within the week, I promise!"

Noa glared down his nose at the lackey, the blue eyes glittering dangerously. "One more chance. And I'll even let you have Keith to help."

"What about Kemo? Keeping Atemu from following will take more than one person."

"Prove to me that you're really trying and not just avoiding punishment." Noa crossed the room, one hand resting on the doorknob as he turned back to his lackey. "I have need of Kemo anyway. He and Ushio have a little meeting with that white haired freak that Atemu keeps with him."

The tone of voice made Rex shiver and look away; keeping his eyes on the ground until he was sure that Noa had left the room. Then, he stood up, suddenly feeling sorry for Ryou. He shook the feeling off quickly before darting out into the hallway to collect Keith and start the watch on Yami's house.

* * *

Ryou hummed as he wiped down the counter of the bar, eyes slightly unfocused. His day had been perfect. Bakura had come in around noon to hang around the bar, where Ryou had been stationed, for no reason other than to see him. Although the thief had not expressly said that, Ryou had seen it in his manner.

Better yet, he hadn't seen Yugi all day. And a smiling Bakura had told him that he had found his grandfather; which meant that Yugi would be leaving soon and their lives could go back to normal. More importantly, it meant that he would have Yami to himself again. He wouldn't have to listen as Yami showered the nicknames that had once belonged to him on the newcomer.

And, if Yugi went home, then he could get Yami away from Domino until Noa disappeared. Once the idea of revenge had gone from him, Yami would be back to normal. Then, they could be safe.

He stopped his motions, folding up the cloth and bending over to place it under the bar. He frowned for a moment before kneeling on the ground and rearranging some of the bottles that had moved out of their order. Ryou quickly sorted them out, the faint clink of glass on glass relaxing him. It was the sound that he was used to, the sound of his life. Finished with his task, he brushed his hands over his jeans before standing up and staring right into the angry eyes of Noa.

"Noa!" He yelped and jumped backward, back knocking against the wall behind him as his heart pounded in double time. Ryou shivered as Noa smiled, examining the nails on one of his hands. The teenager glanced up slowly, like he was bored, but the smile told a different story.

"Hello, Ryou. It's been a long time since I've seen you." Ryou merely nodded, too frightened to speak. Of all the places to be caught, it would be in a casino that was completely empty and without Yami to protect him. He still found himself looking around, praying that Yami would come rushing in at the moment to help him.

"Looking for Atemu?" His wide brown eyes turned to look back at Noa, shivering as the teen stood up slowly. "Why, I ask? Did you doubt my news or do you know something that I don't know?"

"I…I…" He edged down toward the way out of the bar, swallowing as Noa strolled after him.

"Oh, so you do know something. And am I right in assuming that Atemu took my charity project with him?" Ryou pushed away from the wall, sprinting from behind the bar. He had a single heady moment of freedom before a strong grip closed around his wrist and pulled him back against a strong chest. Ryou struggled, kicking out as he was held in place. His struggles increased as Noa ambled to stand in front of him. "You've told me what I needed to know, Ryou. And now, I need you to send a message back to Atemu."

Noa backed away, nodding to his thugs as he smirked at Ryou. The British teen had a moment to wonder at the cryptic sentence before the first fists came in contact with his sides. He writhed and tried to pull away, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Yami!"

"He won't come for you, Ryou." His eyes closed as more blows were rained upon him, Noa's voice echoing the words of his nightmares. "No one will come for you, because you just don't matter."

Ryou's screams subsided into whimpers and then to silence as the thugs continued to beat on him, finally being allowed to slump to the floor. He groaned as his forehead came in contact with the cold floor, watching Noa's thugs follow him out of the door through the one eye that hadn't been blackened. He didn't know how long he stayed on the floor before he pushed away, staggering to his feet and swaying in place. He gritted his teeth and began to shuffle to the door of the casino, intent on getting home.

* * *

_He shoved Yugi onward, stalking after Rex into the alleyway. Yami glared down at the lackey that was sprawled out on the ground. He reached down to yank the gun away from him, only to have Rex tighten his hold on the gun and fire directly at him. Yami screamed as pain lanced through his stomach, making him drop the gun and fall to his knees._

_He pressed one hand against the wound, watching as the form of Rex bubbled and distorted to form the demon. It smiled and reached out a clawed hand to stroke down Yami's cheek in a perverted caress, its claw leaving thin lines of blood behind them. Yami flinched away, gritting his teeth as the demon laughed. "_**You cannot do that, Atemu. You gave yourself to me when you restarted your life****.**_" _

"_Yami!" _

"_Good-bye Atemu." _

_Yami turned his head at the sound of the two voices. Noa stood behind him, easily holding Yugi off the ground with one hand. The younger teen struggled in the hold, reaching out to Yami. Without thinking, Yami reached his bloody hand toward Yugi, whimpering as the muscles that had been damaged by the weapon protested the move. "Aibou?"_

"_No, Atemu. Not yours." Noa held out his other hand, the glimmer of sunlight landing on the golden watch. Yami gave a strangled scream and lunged for the watch before Noa threw it on the ground. His eyes widened as he watched the golden watch hit the ground and crack, some of the inner workings spilling out._

_Yami hit the ground, one hand still stretched out toward the retreating forms of Yugi and Noa. He didn't care about the watch that was ticking out the last seconds of his life; he just wanted the teenager that had brought a new spark to his pale existence. The teenager whose imminent departure scared him to death._

"_Yugi…aibou…"His voice trailed off as he no longer had the strength to speak. His head fell until it pressed against the pavement beneath him. Yami listened to the last few ticks of the watch, praying to whatever gods that were listening that these last seconds of his life would go by faster. _

_He had resigned himself to death again when the demon jerked his head back up, forcing Yami to meet its burning red eyes. "_**Atemu, you can never go back. You can never go-**_"_

Yami sat up suddenly, panting as he tried to calm his racing heart. He leaned backward on the pillows, staring at the watch that he was holding in his hand. His fingers ran over the inverted pyramid shape, covering the eye that stared back up at him. It was a while before he figured out what he was waiting for.

When he had woken up from a nightmare, Yugi would be there. Always. This time, the smaller teen wasn't.

Yami turned his head to the side, relaxing as he saw Yugi snuggled into the covers. At least he was here, and that was all that mattered in the end. He reached out to tuck a stray strand of blonde hair behind the youth's ear, pausing when he felt the boy shiver violently under his hand. Yami withdrew his hand, biting his lip as he thought.

He had no idea what was wrong with Yugi. It could be anything from an illness caught from whatever germs lurked in the water to hypothermia; and he wasn't an expert in treating any of them. The best thing to do would be to take Yugi to a doctor. The problem with that course of action was that the doctors only lived on the other side of the river, and that would get Yugi taken away from him. And Yami didn't think he would be able to stand that.

He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, closing his eyes as his thoughts began to rush around in the same circle. It got him nowhere, this train of worry. He should do what was best for Yugi and forget about his own selfish ideas. But that would mean his original plan was shot to hell. Yami groaned and let his head drop forward. His original plan had been scraped after he had gotten to know the teen. Gotten to…

Yami abruptly stood up at the sound of someone coming down the stairs. He narrowed his eyes and walked out into the hallway, sparing a glance back at Yugi to be sure that the teen was safe. Worries taken care off, Yami padded down the hallway, wishing that he had brought something heavy with him as a weapon.

All thoughts to bashing in an intruder's head were forgotten as Yami saw the figure that staggered toward him. He abandoned his attempts to walk silently, rushing to catch Ryou before the white haired teen fell to the ground. As he attempted to steady his friend, he could feel him wincing. Yami half dragged him over to the sofa, pushing him back onto it as he stared down at Ryou.

"What happened to you?" His mind was having problems comprehending the scattering of bruises and cuts that littered the visible skin. Yami could never remember a time that Ryou had staggered home in such a condition; he could never remember a time that he had allowed Ryou to undergo such a treatment. A cold feeling settled in his stomach at the last thought. But he had, because he had been too busy here. Ryou was hurt and it was his fault.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as the teenager scoffed, wincing as he pushed himself upright. "Noa happened, with about ten of his thugs."

Yami looked at the hand that hovered over Ryou's head before he pushed himself up, letting the hand drop to the watch. He looked away as Ryou stared at the golden watch, giving him a questioning look. Yami sighed, forcing himself to drop the watch. "Ryou, I'm sorry."

"Oh, so now you care?"

Yami looked up, startled. "I've always cared about you. You're my little brother…my best friend."

"I haven't been that for months, Atemu, and you know that." He flinched at the use of his real name, watching out of the corner of his eye as Ryou sat up. The glare that the white haired teen leveled at him made him want to run and hide, an emotion that he was not used to. "You've been sidetracked by that boy. You forgot about me in all of that."

"I would never-"

"No, Atemu! You did. You ignored me from the start of this whole fiasco! You wanted revenge and I told you we should get out while we could. You wanted to take something dear to Noa and I helped you because you were my family. I stood by as you taught him games and paraded him around as your prodigy even though I thought it would get us both killed!"

"Ryou..."

"I stayed with you through all of this because I thought you would come to your senses, see where your loyalty truly lay. But you didn't, and it hurt to see you spending all your time with him and calling him little one. I was your little one!"

"You still are."

"No! I obviously mean nothing to you, because, when Yugi came, Ryou disappeared. I told you from the start that I felt that this was wrong, and I was right."

Yami let out a resigned sigh, spreading his arms and giving a half shrug. "What should we do then?"

"We should throw him back onto the streets, I don't care where and just get out while we still can!" Ryou looked up at him with tears beginning to form in his eyes. "I thought I had lost you once, I don't want that happening again."

"Ryou, we…I…"

Ryou hung his head, hands clenched into fists as he trembled. "The one time I really needed you…and you were here, with him. Noa tried to kill me, Atemu! He tried to kill me like I said he would!"

"Ryou, I can't just throw Yugi out there. We're going to need him more now because of Noa." He offered Ryou as smile as the teen looked up. "We have something that we can hold over his head, something that will make him bend to our demands instead of the other way around."

The smile dropped off his head as Ryou shook his head in disgust. "It's not revenge anymore, Atemu."

"Of course it's still revenge. Why else-"

"You're in love with him." Yami stiffened at the accusation, anger rushing through him. Ryou seemed to take his silence for rapt attention because he continued. "You've made this personal when it was just supposed to be business."

"It still is." Yami growled the words out, glaring down at Ryou. To his surprise, the British teen returned his glare.

"It was, until you started to care."

"I never cared!" Yami snapped, backing away from the sofa. He didn't care that he was defending himself with empty words. He didn't care that it was Ryou that he was yelling at, the boy that he had come to consider his best friend. All he wanted to do was to get rid of the glare that spoke volumes; the glare that seemed to look into his soul. "I taught him some tricks and called him nicknames that meant nothing! It was all to make him trust us, to separate us from Noa! I wanted him to believe that I was his best friend."

"I thought I was." Ryou looked meekly away from Yami, the tri-color haired teen relaxing a bit once the glare was removed from him.

"You are. He's just around for revenge. That's what it has always been about! I'm using him! And when I'm done, I'll let him go to the highest bidder, even Noa if he whimpers and pleads enough." Yami noticed that Ryou had sat up further, looking over the back of the couch. He snarled and reached down to pull Ryou's head back around so they were looking eye to eye. "Is that good enough for you?"

"Yami…"

"Ryou, is that good enough for you?"

The white haired teen's eyes flickered down, a sign of surrender. Yami let go of his chin, backing away with the angry glare still fixed on his face. "Whatever you say, Yami, whatever you say."

"Good."

"Yami." He froze at the sound of Yugi's voice, turning slowly to face the smaller teen. For a second, he wondered how much that Yugi had heard, but one look at the teen showed that he had heard enough. Yami stepped around the sofa, eyes softening.

"Aibou."

"Don't call me that!" Yugi spat as he backed away as Yami advanced. Yami felt his heart give a painful lurch as the sign of affection was spurned.

"Yugi, listen, you're sick. You just need to rest."

"Why? You'll just let me go back to Noa. You had no intention of letting me go home. And I let myself…" Yugi trailed off with a harsh laugh that transformed into a cough halfway through. Yami took the moment to stride closer, only to be stopped as Yugi threw out a hand to stop him. "You just stay here. I've had enough of your 'help', Atemu."

Yami swayed as he watched Yugi charged up the stairs that led to the first floor. He stumbled backward, one hand clutching at the back of the couch as the other reached for the watch around his neck. It still ticked under his hand, he still breathed and his heart still beat, but he felt like he was dead. He felt Ryou rest a hand overtop his, but couldn't react to it, preferring to stare at the staircase that Yugi had run up.

* * *

He had to get out of there, had to get out of the house that was pressing in around him. Yugi flung himself from the staircase, tripping and falling to the floor. He allowed himself to lay there for a moment before pushing himself back up, arms wrapping around himself as he shivered.

His vision blurred as tears gathered in his eyes, which were ruthlessly brushed away. He didn't have to cry over this, there was no reason to. It was as Yami himself had said; it was all fake, all a practiced act so that another person could use Yugi to get to their own ends. The worst part was that he had fallen for it, all of it.

Yugi punched his fist into the floor as he stood up, still hugging himself tightly against the shivers and emotional torment. How naïve was he that he fell for the act? Yami had been nothing but accommodating from the start and he didn't even seem scared of Noa like everyone else was. He should have realized that something was up.

But he had been so alone, so tired of being something he was not. He had wanted to be able to stop acting and be himself for once. Yami had given him that chance, and he had jumped at it. Jumped at the chance to escape, to find a pseudo family, to have friends. Jumped at the chance to be _Yugi_ again.

He had jumped and fallen. Fallen for Yami. Fallen quickly and hard.

Yami was everything that he wanted to be, strong and confident. But it was Yami who admired him for being Yugi. Something that Yugi hadn't had since his mother had died. And he had allowed himself to fall without a second thought. Because it had looked like Yami was following him down. And, wherever Yami was, Yugi was safe.

That idea had been shattered. And he still loved Yami, if he seriously questioned himself. Part of him didn't want to give it up, because it was a memory of the best time of his life. It was a throwback to a life that he could reach out and grasp; a reminder of the closeness that he had once possessed with his mother. Yami was home and safety and love; going beyond the love that he had felt for his mother.

Yugi stumbled for the door, gritting his teeth as a few errant tears trickled down his cheeks. No mater what he would not cry over Yami! If anything, Yami should be running after him and begging him for forgiveness, or shouting for him to listen. Shouting that he had been wrong, that he was just striking out at Ryou in defense of Yugi. That Yugi had just come in at the wrong moment, heard the wrong things and assumed too much.

In the depths of his heart, he knew that none of that would happen, but he still looked back at the staircase. He backed to the front door, one hand resting on the doorknob and trembling as he waited for Yami. Yugi only allowed for a few minutes before he sighed and let his head drop, turning to the door. "I wish I could say…but I can't."

He opened the door, stumbling out before letting it slam behind him. Yugi swayed on his feet, leaning back on the door as he rubbed the tears from his face, still shivering as he did so. He swallowed and tipped his head back to look up at the stars, searching for a calm part of himself to bring the tears back under control.

The only course of action left to him was to make good on his threat. He would cross over to the other side of the river and begin to make his way through the city. Yugi hoped that he remembered enough from the trips with his mother to find his way to the game shop that his grandfather owned. He hoped that Bakura's vague directions would help him if he got lost.

Yugi pushed away from the door, wishing that he had thought to bring his school jacket, but had left in inside the house; and probably would never get it back again. His head hung down, affording him a view of his sneakers through blonde bangs as he trudged away from the house. There was one thing that Yami was right about, he was sick. He needed to find his grandfather quickly, because he didn't know how long he would last without collapsing.

A hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder, roughly spinning him around. Yugi gasped at the motion, coughing as his throat protested the action. He got a glimpse of Rex's face in the dim light, the lackey smiling as he looked at Yugi.

Yugi reacted instantly, turning back around to run. Instead, he ran right into Keith, squeaking as the thug latched onto his leather collar. He strained forward, wincing as he felt the buckle on the collar give way. Keith didn't hesitate, but grabbed on his shoulder, letting the collar fall to the pavement. Yugi whimpered at the motion, looking back over at Rex as the lackey gave a chuckle. "Where are you running to, Yugi? I thought you would be happy to see us? After all, we are saving you from that annoying Pharaoh."

"Let me go!"

"Why? Yami's not coming after you." Yugi's mouth dropped open, wondering how they knew about the argument. Rex gave a quick shrug, strolling past and motioning for Keith to follow. "He's too busy taking care of his little pet."

His little... Yugi narrowed his eyes in anger, trying to shrug off Keith's hold. "Ryou? What did you do to him?!"

"He played messenger for Noa. A reminder of what happens when you take something that belongs to Noa." Yugi shuddered at Rex's tone, looking frantically back at the house. Forgetting his resolution to live without Yami, he silently begged for the older teenager to come out of the house, to somehow sense that something was wrong and save him. As he should have expected, nothing happened, and that hurt more.

Finally, he gave up, letting his head hang as Rex led them away from the neighborhood and toward the swamp. He remained quiet for the whole walk, his mind lingering over the past few months and carefully filing away every word, glance and touch that Yami had given him, preparing to forget them forever as he adopted the personality that would keep him alive within Noa's hold.

* * *

Yami finally managed to rouse himself from his shock, slipping his hand out from underneath Ryou's and stumbling toward the stairs. He ascended them slowly, shoving the door at the top open with his shoulder and peering into the living room. Part of him had believed that Yugi would stop in the living room of the first floor and demand an answer from Yami. And he would just respond that he had reacted without thinking. That it was all a mistake.

That the thought of Yugi leaving him scared him more than the thought of anything else.

To his disappointment, the living room was dark and devoid of life. A sudden premonition made him look toward the door, a shiver running down his spine. As if he had triggered it, thunder rumbled and rain began to patter down outside. Yami moved toward the door, automatically reaching for the knob while his mind went off on its own.

Yugi shouldn't be out in the rain, he was already suffering from something brought on by the soaking earlier in the day. Yami didn't want to contemplate what would happen if Yugi got soaked again. Then he couldn't talk himself out of keeping Yugi on this side of the river with him; he would have to take Yugi to the hospital. And then, he would end up taking the young teen to his grandfather because he could deny Yugi nothing.

Yami stepped out of the door and into the rain, shaking his head as his bangs plastered themselves to his face. He stood out in the rain with his hand still on the door, looking around for Yugi. A frown crossed his face as he didn't see the boy, or anyone moving up or down the street. He took a couple of steps in the direction of the swamps before shaking his head again, this time in reaction to his actions.

If Yugi was going anywhere, he wouldn't go back toward where Noa was. If anything, Yugi would head for the river where he would find a way to get home. It was useless searching for him in that direction. Yami ran a hand through his hair, more strands falling into his face as the rain soaked it. Irritated, he flicked them away from his eyes, his gaze drifting down for a moment.

It was then that he saw the band of leather on the sidewalk, almost rendered invisible by the darkness brought on by the rain. Yami knelt down on the ground, not caring that his jeans were getting soaked through, to pick it up. Only one person that he knew of wore a collar like this…and that was Yugi.

He ran his fingers over the leather collar, finding a jagged edge where the buckle was. So it had broken off instead of being taken off, which meant that Yugi had been taken. Yami scowled and stood up, hand clenching around the collar. Noa had found Yugi and had a good lead on him.

Yami started at the hand that landed on his shoulder, turning to look at Ryou. The British teen glanced down at the leather collar in Yami's hand before sighing. "What do you want to do?"

He made his decision quickly. Revenge didn't matter anymore. Ryou was right, it had stopped being about revenge some time ago. This time, it was about Yugi. He owed Yugi for intending to use him. It was only right that he would rescue the boy again and return him to his grandfather, no matter how much he was hurt in the process.

Noa would have him even more carefully guarded than before, which made it even more complicated considering that Yugi wasn't well enough for another long dash away from danger.

Yami turned and slapped the collar into Ryou's hand, the white haired teen looking up at him in confusion. "I'm going after Yugi. You run to get reinforcements of any kind. And somehow find a way to contact Yugi's grandfather."

Before Ryou could argue, Yami was running down the street, squinting through the now driving rain.

_

* * *

Read and review. Criticism is very welcome, while flames will be laughed at._


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

**Warnings:** _minor_ character death

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

Ryou remained in stunned silence in front of the house before he dared to look down at the leather collar in his hands. For a second, he was tempted to throw it away and forget about it all. What had the kid done for him? If anything, he had made Ryou's life miserable. But Ryou couldn't condemn him to imprisonment with Noa. No one deserved that. He sighed and turned around, walking straight into Bakura.

"What was that all about?" The thief nodded toward the retreating form of Yami as he steadied Ryou.

"Noa got Yugi again." Ryou heard Bakura scoff, shaking his head.

"Good. At least now things can get done without Yugi pulling Yami away for something inane."

"Nobody deserves what Noa does, and you know it!" Ryou slapped his hands over his mouth, suddenly frightened. He silently begged Bakura not to take offense to his words, waiting for the rain of blows that was sure to come.

To his surprise, Bakura just shook his head again. "What did his royal highness order you to do?"

"Gather reinforcements, and the kid's grandfather."

"I'll handle this side of town, you take the grandfather." Ryou's question was stalled when Bakura rested a finger against his lips, leaning forward to stare down into Ryou's brown eyes. "You look more trustworthy than me. I might have been seen lurking around there earlier."

The thief removed his finger long enough to brush a light kiss across Ryou's lips before he too sprinted off into the rain, leaving Ryou to stare after him in amazement. A shaking hand was raised so his fingers could brush across his lips, wondering if it had just been his imagination. Another rumble of thunder startled him into action.

Ryou glanced down at the leather collar still held in his hand, wincing at the only piece of evidence he had. He raced back into the house, heading for Yami's room. Yugi must have had something specific to him alone, something that his grandfather would recognize instantly.

He scanned the room impatiently, only spotting the blue jacket on the floor. He stared at it, running through the list of high school uniforms in his mind. None of the high schools in Domino had that color and style of jacket that he knew of. Ryou just hoped that it would be enough to convince Yugi's grandfather that he was telling the truth.

* * *

He barely looked up as thunder rumbled above them, the last peals echoing slightly as Keith shoved him into the ship. Yugi began to take the familiar path back to his prison, but was stopped by the hold on his arm. He looked up at Keith, expecting an explanation and jumping as Noa spoke.

"You won't get a second chance, brat. I have a better place for you to be." The aqua haired teen shoved Rex out of the way as he took the lead, pushing another loose panel on the steamboat open and stepping in. Yugi was nearly lifted over the threshold as Keith followed after his employer.

Noa led them to the very bowels of the old steamboat, the rocking waves that the thunderstorm conjured up encouraging strange sounds from the ship. The sounds didn't seem to bother Noa as he walked even deeper, far beyond the areas that Yugi had been warned away from in his first days here because they had been deemed unsafe for people. They stopped at a small door, wide enough to admit them one at a time. Yugi felt his mouth drop open in shock as he stared around him.

The ship opened up, the walks used by the stokers broken and scattered across the sides of the ship. Old electrical equipment, which Yugi assumed had been fitted to the steamboat before her retirement, make eerie shadows on the wall. Old oil drums lined the sides two levels above the bottom of the ship, which was covered in water allowed in by a hole in the hull. A fine layer of dust coated everything, creating an environment of dreary grey. Everything except the cage that was suspended from a rope.

Yugi whimpered and tried to struggle as he was pushed toward the cage, looking down inside to see the patchwork blanket and a single crate. He clawed at Keith's arms, earning a slap across his face. Yugi reeled, nearly falling into the cage before he caught himself.

Noa chuckled. "I said you wouldn't get a second chance, Yugi. This is your new home. No way to escape, and no way that Atemu will find you."

Keith lifted Yugi from the ground and dropped him into the cage, the young teen flailing until he hit the bottom. The wind was knocked out of him, leaving Yugi to gasp for breath as the cage rocked and swayed. He rolled onto his side, coughing as he finally brought air into his lungs. Yugi reached for the crate, using it to help him stand and glare up at his captors.

"Welcome home, Yugi." Noa gave a dismissive wave before walking out of the door, Keith following on his heels like a well trained dog. Yugi kept the glare up until he was sure that Noa was gone, then he reached for the blanket and wrapped it around himself; feeling even more miserable. At least he had stopped shivering uncontrollably. Now he just felt sick and lethargic.

Yugi clambered up onto the crate, sprawling out over it before curling up to prevent his legs from hanging off the end. He coughed and drew the blanket closer around him, cocooning himself in what little warmth it allowed him. For a moment, Yugi was tempted to imagine that Yami was holding him, and he was safe with him. But the dream was broken by the fast tempo of the waves beating against the sides of the ship.

This was his home now, an inescapable prison. And Yami was too far away at the moment.

* * *

Bakura pounded on the door, pushing himself against the house to get out of the rain. He didn't even wait for the person to open their door fully before briskly stating, "Yami's gone to settle with Noa, be ready for trouble," before sprinting on. They would know what to do anyway.

If he had wanted to look behind him, he would have seen people ushering families into the deeper parts of the house before gathering together in large groups before moving off toward the swamp. They all knew that they could do nothing to help in whatever fight was coming up, but they would always be ready to handle the aftermath. Or secreting the survivors away.

Now Yugi and Yami could disappear for months without ever leaving Domino, all because of these people. Because they all trusted in their Pharaoh. Bakura had to smile at the irony. Yami was mistaken if the thought that the title was just a nickname, the people on this side of Domino took it all too seriously.

He held up his hand to knock on the door only to step back at the last minute to avoid being hit by it as it slammed open. Bakura had the presence of mind to grab Mana by the back of her collar before glaring at Mahad. The man shrugged before pointing toward the crowd. "New travels fast around here."

Bakura gave a stiff nod before spinning the girl around to face him. "You go up to the old church."

"But I-"

"I don't want a lecture from the Pharaoh about how I let you get into trouble. He's causing me enough of a headache right now." Bakura sent Mana on her way with a shove, glaring after her before he turned back to Mahad. On an unspoken agreement, the two began to jog up the street, knocking on the doors of people who had yet to come out to investigate.

Mahad watched silently until Bakura had sent a force of ten men scrambling after Mana with the same set of orders. "You think that it will come to that?"

Bakura wiped rain from his eyes, tipping his head back to stare at the slightly taller man before shrugging. "It's been coming for a long while. First, Noa moved against Yami, then the Pharaoh retaliated. Now that Noa's taken back his pet, I think that Yami will try to move heaven and earth tonight. And I, for one, don't want to have to deal with the aftermath on my own."

"He took..." Mahad suddenly snatched Bakura's arm and began to drag him back down the street toward the group that was waiting for him, ignoring the curses that were being directed at him by the thief. He only glanced back once they were at the front of the group, leading them toward the swamps. Mahad pointed at a pair of men, motioning for them to come close. "Go into Domino and call for an ambulance. I'm sure one will be needed by the end of the night."

"Let go of-" Bakura was cut off as Mahad roughly dropped his arm, glaring at the thief as he kept walking.

"Where's Ryou?"

"Off to get the kid's grandfather. It's something Yami told him to do."

Mahad was nodding at this time. "Yes, it would be better for Yugi to stay in Domino, where Noa would have a slimmer chance of getting his hands on him again."

Bakura let out a cold chuckle. "I wouldn't worry about Noa when this is all over. The Pharaoh will take care of him."

There was a moment of hesitation before Mahad finally nodded, enough time for Bakura to give him a look of doubt. What did Mahad guess that he didn't? He ran his mind over a series of questions beginning to emerge, getting ready for his own rescue plan when Yami's went horribly wrong. "How stable is the _Baroness_?"

"Not at all." The gruff reply surprised him. Bakura schooled his face into a careful mask, staring at Mahad until he gave more information. "From what I last saw of her, the _Baroness_ is hardly staying afloat. If this storm gets any worse…"

Bakura increased his speed, cursing Yami with every breath. Stupid, reckless, Pharaoh…

* * *

Ryou leaned against one of the buildings, clutching a stitch in his side as the panted for air. He shook the rain out of his eyes before stumbling off again. This was too important to stop for long. He had to get to that little game shop before Yami got into big trouble. He gritted his teeth as his body protested the movement, pain spiking through every limb as he moved.

Through the rain, he spotted the street that he had been pointed to. He had asked about the small game shop on the bridge over, surprised that he had even found someone, let alone a person that was willing to tell him anything. Ryou could even see the faint light given off by the shop's lights. He almost sobbed in relief.

That meant that he wasn't too late. He could just run in and get the story all out in a rush before he collapsed from his run. Ryou hoped that Bakura had done a better job in getting reinforcements than him, because he wasn't going to make it much further.

Ryou came to a panting stop just outside the door, reaching out to push open the door when the first wave of dizziness and nausea hit him. He gasped for air and leaned against the door, resisting the urge to rest his face against the cool glass. He needed to keep going. There was no time for this!

Groaning he looked up, surprised to see a kind face looking from the inside of the door. He pulled away so the old man could open the door, stepping inside to get out of the rain. Pleasantries could wait until later.

Before the old man had time to ask, Ryou held out the soaked jacket and leather collar, stepping back as the man stared at it. He entertained himself for a few minutes by looking around the shop from where he stood, awed by the sheer amount of games. Yami would love this place.

"These are…where did you find them?" Ryou looked back down at the old man, shocked by the deep purple eyes that reminded him vaguely of Yugi.

"I…we…" He gave up and turned to walk out, limping slightly. "Yugi is in trouble. We need you to help."

"In trouble how?"

"No time." Ryou was bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking out into the driving rain. How far along was Yami in whatever suicidal plan he had thought out? How long did he have until he had to call in Bakura and the two of them had to confer on a plan to rescue both Yami and Yugi?

What he was not prepared for was for the old man to nod. "Alright."

* * *

Solomon looked up at the young man that had come bursting into his store earlier, only half aware that he was still clinging to the jacket that the boy had brought with him; the leather collar left behind on the floor of his store. The boy kept his head tipped forward so his white hair fell over his eyes, effectively keeping him apart from Solomon, perfectly happy to be kept in his own little world.

He wanted to speak to this strange boy who had appeared from nowhere, bringing news about his grandson. Albeit, it was disturbing news, but at least it was better than what he had been working on. Solomon clutched the jacket closer to him, sometimes having to break into a semblance of a job to keep up with a boy. Normally, he would ask for the boy to slow down, but there was an urgency that Solomon recognized.

And hadn't he said that Yugi was in trouble? His own discomfort could be put aside for the sake of his grandson. But there was one thing that he had to know. "Where is he?"

The boy hesitated, it was only visible in the one short stride that he took before forging ahead. "Somewhere in the swamps on the other side of the river. He could be anywhere, but I think that he's on the _Baroness_."

"_Baroness_?" It sounded like the name of a ship. Solomon shrugged off his curiosity.

They managed a few more minutes of silence before the boy gasped, his pace increasing as he seemed to remember something. Solomon meant to question him further, but found that he did not have the breath to. Instead, he put all his energy into following the boy through the streets of Domino, heading always toward the bridges that would lead across the river.

* * *

Yami shifted impatiently in the brush before the boardwalk that led to the ship. He glared at the deck of the decrepit steamboat, watching as guards patrolled the top, the guards often ducking for shelter as lightning flashed across the dark sky. Yami smirked to himself before sneaking out onto the boardwalk.

He burst into a run, relying on luck to get him across the rotting wooden structure. The darkness and the storm were with him, withholding another flash of lightning until he was hiding in the entrance to the steamboat. Yami craned his head up to see if a person was looking over the edge of the ship. When nothing was revealed to him, Yami slipped into the darkness of the steamboat.

Noa, for all his faults, would not put Yugi in the same place. But there were only so many places that he could put the smaller teen. And Yami didn't have the time to search through all of them. He crept to the curtain that divided the entrance hall from the rest of the casino, part of him wanting to go racing for Noa's office and demanding an answer. But he would just end up being cornered if he took that path.

Yami cursed under his breath and turned away from the casino, padding back down the hall. The sound of someone approaching sent him scrambling into the deeper shadows, his eyes gaining a dangerous light in their depths as he watched Weevil slink towards him, fingers twitching. Weevil was the one that Noa depended on, he would know where they were keeping Yugi.

He leapt from his hiding spot, grabbing Weevil by the front of his shirt and hauled him up to eye level, his smirk growing into a grin as he watched the play of emotions in the other man's eyes. At first there was surprise and shock, fear and then pure terror. Yami couldn't hold back a low chuckle, watching as Weevil shivered, before bringing himself back under control. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Don't play with me." He shook Weevil, patience quickly running low. "Where did they take Yugi?"

"How would I know?! I came back here to beg Rex to give me a job." Yami stared blankly at Weevil as the information processed. Weevil wasn't the top dog in the chain of command anymore, which meant that he had just wasted his time and lost the element of surprise. There was no question that Weevil would go running off to Noa as soon as Yami let go of him.

A squeak of surprise from behind Weevil made Yami shift the man to the side, spotting Rex. Yami threw Weevil to the side, only vaguely hearing the faint crack as Weevil's head came in contact with the metal of the wall. Then he was grabbing onto Rex's arm to keep the lackey from running. He jerked the arm behind Rex's back, putting pressure on it until he felt something give, one of his hands clamping over Rex's mouth to muffle the scream.

When he was sure that he had Rex's attention back, he leaned forward to whisper in Rex's ear. "Take me to where Noa is keeping Yugi and you may keep the use of your other arm." The lackey nodded miserably before trudging off, Yami keeping a tight hold of the arm behind Rex's back.

Rex led him into the passages that littered the ship, turning to head down into the places that Yami and Noa had closed off before they had opened the casino. Yami bit back a growl as they even passed the rooms where they stored the older games that they would try to refurbish, hoping to reuse parts instead of spending their meager profits.

Noa was endangering Yugi with his actions, all to make sure that nothing would happen to his little prize. And Yami couldn't forgive him for that. Noa would regret everything that he had done this night, Yami would make sure of that.

He had to adjust his grip on Rex's arm as he was led into the very base of the ship, staring in awe at the wreck that presented itself. His eyes skipped over the platforms and the dust, briefly looking at the water that rushed in and out of the hull with the pounding rain. This was more dangerous than he thought. He had to get Yugi out of here as soon as possible.

"There." Rex's weak voice broke his musings, drawing his attention to the cage that dangled just below them. Yami scowled as he saw Yugi curled up in the same blanket that he and Ryou had found him in. He shifted close to the edge, growling at the treatment of the younger teen. Rex wiggled, bringing his attention back to the captive he held. "I showed you where he was. Will you break my other arm?"

Yami spun his captive around, sneering at him as he forced Rex to back up to the edge of the platform they stood on. "No. I think I'll let you keep it. But you won't get the chance to go running back to your master."

He shoved Rex off the platform, leaning slightly forward to watch as the lackey fell. Rex screamed until he hit another platform three levels down, a snap barely heard, before he tumbled into the water. He never resurfaced. Yami smirked to himself before turning back to the cage.

"Yugi." He whispered the name as he crept toward the edge, ending up on his hands and knees leaning towards the swinging cage. Yugi groaned and rolled onto his other side, coughing as he did so. Yami bit his lower lip. "You are sick, aren't you?"

He grabbed the edge of the cage, using that to swing him inside. Yami tensed as his landing caused the cage to rock back and forth, the motion bringing the teen partially out of his sleep. Yugi propped himself up on an elbow, a haze covering the usually bright purple eyes. "Yami?"

Yami smiled and walked over to the crate, carefully scooping Yugi up into his arms. He relaxed when the younger teen snuggled closer to him, humming in contentment. Yami shifted his hold and looked back up at the top of the cage. "Don't fall asleep on me now. I need to get you out of here. And then, I'll take you to your home."

Yugi nodded against his chest, wrapping an arm around his neck. "Not mad anymore?"

"Of course not, aibou." Yami let himself lean down and kiss Yugi's forehead. The moment of peace was broken by a familiar chuckle coming from above.

"Isn't this just the sweetest thing?"

_

* * *

Read and review please. Criticism, as always, is much appreciated._


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they all belong to their respective owners. Everything else in between is mine.

**Warning: **Character death.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

Yami turned, clutching Yugi closer to him and looking up as he did so. His eyes widened as he saw the gathering above him. Noa gave a wave, the motion purposefully wide to emphasize the number of people who stood behind them. Yami gave a sound that similar to a snarl as he backed toward the middle of the cage, arms tightening around Yugi as he did so.

"Isn't it the sweetest thing, boys?" There were a series of chuckles from the thugs as they agreed with their boss. On only thing that was missing was the whining sycophant. Yami smiled at the thought, know exactly where that last piece was; probably settling to the bottom of the boat by this time. Noa seemed to interpret his smile as a challenge, because he waved the thugs on. "Get him."

Yami gently placed Yugi back on his crate, brushing the bangs away from his face when the smaller teen gave a soft moan. He paused before jumping up on the crate himself and using it to clamber back up to the top of the cage, wincing as the rusting metal bit into his unprotected hands. He paused again at the top of the cage, waiting for it to stop its frenzied bucking before throwing himself back at the ledge.

He stumbled as he landed, falling to the ground to roll right into Keith as the man rushed to hit him. Yami and Keith went down in a tangle of limbs, Yami pushing himself out in time to lay a punch on Kemo. He didn't have a chance to attack again as Ushio and another thug pushed him to the ground, the former clamping his large hands around Yami's throat.

Yami twisted in the grip, kicking out and catching the other thug that held him, making the man stumble away. Yami gasped for air, one hand coming up to claw at the hands that were around his neck. From far away came the sound of Ushio's laughter. Then, the hands were removed from his neck and Yami went limp, trying to draw air back into his lungs. His eyes flickered shut as he let out a weak cough.

Hands grabbed his arms and legs as Keith and Ushio lifted from the floor and began to cart him further down the platform. Yami snarled and tried to lash out, only earning bruises for his efforts. He tilted his head to the side, his view of the cage and Yugi blocked by Noa as the aqua haired teen calmly strolled behind his force of thugs, a smile plastered on his face. A sharp shake from the men holding him made Yami's head rock back, a glimpse of white out of the corner of his eye catching his attention.

He had a short glimpse of a man in a white robe and turban before Keith blocked his view. Yami was about to snap at Noa when his back was slammed against something metal, all the air leaving his lungs with a whoosh. His head dropped forward, chin knocking against his chest as he coughed. Groaning, Yami opened his eyes, watching in a detached manner as rope was wrapped around his middle before being tied off somewhere above his hands.

Noa ambled out of his group of guards, smiling in that disturbing way of his. He reached and tapped Yami's chest, laughing at the glare that it drew out of him. "So you see, Atemu, this story has a happy ending. I get to keep the brat and make a fortune and you," Yami winced at the harsh jab to his chest, "you get to go to heaven."

Images rushed through his head; the angel called Isis, the watch, the bright light, the warning…the demon. Yami flinched away from the contact, dropping his eyes away and shivering. The watch wasn't open, but he could still hear the voice. _"Atemu, you can never come back."_

"You don't want to go to heaven, Atemu?" Yami jerked at Noa's sudden intrusion into his personal space, gasping as the rope rubbed against his bare arms. Noa leaned back with a laugh. "They must want you by now, especially after just missing you that one time."

"Mm, Yami?" The voice was so soft, Yami almost missed it. His head jerked around to stare at the cage that was just a few feet away from him. He could feel Noa's eyes sliding away from him to look at the captive. Yugi was sitting up, obviously jolted out of his sleep by the noise. Yami saw Yugi's eyes widen in confusion, realizing that Yugi had been mostly asleep for the last conversation they had. The smaller teen stumbled to the side of the cage closest to the group. "What? I thought that…"

"Oh, was there a lover's spat?" Noa wasn't intimidated by Yami's glare. Yami gave an annoyed wiggle, feeling the rope catch against something. Noa stepped back, waving to a thug somewhere above them. "I suggest you make up soon, Atemu."

There was a yelp from Yami as the anchor that he was tied to jerked downward, the chain playing out above him. He renewed his struggles against the rope, frantically looking around. There was nothing within reach that would allow him to cut the rope, and he couldn't see anything in the water with all the waves breaking below him. Resigned for the moment, Yami glanced up at Yugi, trying to force a smile on his face.

The smile twitched and died at the sight of the man in the turban, standing patiently on the platform above Yugi's cage. The man stared at Yami for a long time before raising his arms above his head. "Hear me now, mortal men. You have all been judged and found guilty of sin."

He gave a dismissive wave of his arm before the boat rocked with the impact of the waves on its side. Yami caught a flicker of green scales out of the corner of his eye as something slipped into the hull through the wide hole on one side of the ship. Yami stiffened as the ripple disappeared before the familiar alligator launched itself out of the water, twisting in the air before falling back. The anchor followed after the alligator, plunging Yami into a wavering world.

Yami got one good look around before the alligator took up his whole line of sight. He flinched backward, bubbles of precious air escaping his mouth as Ammut nudged the watch that he wore. The alligator seemed to think for a moment before opening its jaws. Yami closed his eyes as he prayed to any deity he could remember that he would survive this. But the sharp pain of teeth closing on him never came.

He cautiously opened his eyes in time to feel the pressure from the rope disappear as the loops that had held him to the anchor drifted to the bottom. Yami twisted around in the water, peering at the alligator and getting the oddest feeling that the creature was radiating a kind of respect to him. It only lasted a minute before Ammut flicked its tail and disappeared into the shadows under one of the platforms. Yami shrugged before propelling himself to the surface.

He scrambled for a hold of the platform, releasing the breath he had held in a gasp. Yami quickly hauled himself out of the water, shaking hair out of his eyes as he stood up shakily. As soon as he was upright, he turned to look at Noa. His former partner was busy racing down the levels toward him, caught in midstride to stare at Yami in disbelief.

Ammut chose the moment of stalemate to haul itself out of the water and flop onto the platform by Yami's side. It opened its jaws and let out a hiss, glaring at Noa. The casino owner sputtered and backed away, his eyes jumping from the alligator to Yami quickly. Yami tilted his head back, noticing the man in the turban still standing in the upper levels, the faintest hint of a smirk on his face. Yami gave a quick nod to the man before placing one hand on the alligator's head and pointing at the thugs.

"By the order of the Pharaoh, I command that all your souls shall be devoured!" He smirked at the fear that all the thugs displayed. "So let it be written; so let it be done."

Ammut charged forward as the thugs scattered, all of the men racing for the upper levels of the boat as the alligator attempted to follow them. Yami was a heartbeat behind the creature, overtaking it as he raced for the cage that held Yugi. Ammut skittered off the platform and back into the water as the boat rocked again, this time nearly keeling over onto its side.

Yami grabbed onto a strange twisted column of metal to prevent himself from falling. He saw one of the thugs who had not had the time to balance fall backwards into the stack of barrels, one of the barrels falling open and spilling the oil that it held. Yami watched the path of the black liquid when a sinking heart, throwing himself from the column that he had used as the oil hit one of the old generators, sparks flying from the dust covered machine. A second later, it had burst into flames, spraying oil onto the water. Tongues of flames raced along the top of the water now, sending twisted shadows to dance on the walls.

* * *

Bakura came to a jittering halt at the edge of the demolished boardwalk, watching as pieces of planking were swept away by the storm. But even that did not hold his attention long. Men were pouring out of the burning steamboat, leaping into the water to swim for the shore. Bakura stepped aside and motioned for the group following him and Mahad to help the men out, scowling as the dim lighting revealed them all as Noa's men.

The thief grabbed one who had made it ashore, pulling him away from the rescue effort. Mahad, seeing the removal, follow Bakura, holding the man upright as Bakura glared. "What's got you so scared?"

The man shivered, trying to hold his own shoulders, but stopped moving under the glare. "There was an alligator and a man who could command it. Yami could command it! It was in the water and it didn't kill Yami, it let him go."

Mahad and Bakura exchanged confused glances before Bakura shook his head. He would consider the story later; right now he had more important things to deal with. "Who else is on that sad excuse for a ship?"

The man thought for a while, his eyes glued to the ground to avoid Bakura's intimidating stare. "The boss and his brat…Yugi! I mean Yugi!" The man quailed as Bakura raised a fist. "And Yami is still in there too!"

Bakura waved the man away, turning from Mahad as the casino owner literally threw their captive away from him. Yami was still in the ship, which was now too dangerous for him to even try to go in. The _Baroness_ was unstable enough during heavy storms like this one, but he didn't want to experience the ship when it was burning.

"What do we do now?" Mahad voiced the question that Bakura had been working around to. The white haired thief gave a shrug before looking back at the steamboat.

"We wait. For Ryou and Yugi's grandfather. For Yami and Yugi." At Mahad's small sound of disagreement, Bakura turned his glare on his ally. "If I know the Pharaoh, he will get out of there no problem. It's his ship after all. Put some trust in your friend."

Bakura crossed his arms and glared at the burning wreck, cursing Yami with every insult he knew. The Pharaoh had better escape and prove him right.

* * *

The next slam of the waves against the ship sent Yami sprawling on the ground. He cautiously picked himself up, eyes widening as the rope that kept the cage suspended snapped, sending the structure plunging toward the water. "Yugi!"

The heavy metal sunk, leaving Yugi to cling to the crate until he got the strength to scramble up onto it. The wooden box bobbed dangerously low under Yugi's slight weight before it stayed afloat. Yugi gave him a weak grin before he slumped, arms wrapping around his slim body to control the visible shivers that wracked him. Yami's heart twisted at the sight, urging him to try and get to his feet.

He was peeling the watch from around his neck when Noa kicked his side. Yami cried out in surprise, the chain flying from his hand. He followed its trajectory, breathing a sigh of relief as the watch clattered onto a plank of wood that was floating on the water. The exhalation was cut off quickly as Noa dropped to force Yami onto his back, kneeling on his stomach as he glared as his former business partner. Noa snarled at him before taking a hold of his neck and began banging Yami's head against the metal of the platform. "Why won't you die?!"

Yami clawed at Noa's shirt collar, never getting a strong enough hold to push Noa away. His arms finally fell away to rest at his side as his world began to spin from lack of oxygen, sharp spikes of pain being the only thing to invaded the moving world.

Suddenly, air flooded back into his lungs and the pain stopped. The heavy weight of Noa also disappeared as the boat rocked again. The casino owner snatched at Yami's arm as he went over, dragging the dazed teen halfway off the ledge with him before his grip failed. Yami turned partially, aware of the tenuous hold of the platform, to watch as Noa fell into the churning water below. He caught a glimpse of aqua hair as Noa surfaced again, but then it was gone, a flicker of green scales marking where Ammut had been.

Yami sighed, his eyes flickering shut. He just wanted to rest now, sleep off this nightmare. But there was something else, something that he was forgetting. Something very important. His eyes snapped back open as a name drifted through his mind. Yugi.

He twisted, watching in horror as the flames crept closer to where Yugi rested in a stupor. Yami tried to get enough air in the smoke clogged hold to scream for Yugi, but only managed to wheeze out unintelligible syllables. He coughed and rested his forehead against the dull edge of the platform, head spinning from the smoke that was beginning to rise as the fire found abandoned wood to burn.

A hand grasped the one he had clinging to the platform, its twin reaching toward him. Yami looked up quickly, mouth dropping open at the appearance of the man in the turban. The man glared at him before motioning impatiently with his free hand. "Give me your other hand, my pharaoh."

"No, I have to save Yugi!" The powerful shout that he was going for didn't appear. Instead his words came out as a gravelly cough. The man hesitated, the free hand drawing back a few inches before being shoved back toward him. Yami knocked it away, glaring at the man. "Get everyone out. I have to save Yugi."

When the man didn't move, Yami snarled. "Your pharaoh commands you!"

Finally, the man nodded, backing away and folding his arms. "We will wait for your return. Until then, we will watch over your kingdom."

"Thank you." Yami nodded his head before letting go of the platform, managing to snatch a lungful of air before he hit the water. He floated for a moment, eyes following a darker stain in the water as it dissipated. At the end of the trail, Ammut glanced back at him before slithering out through the hole in the hull. Yami smiled before swimming for the surface, bobbing up close to his watch.

He grabbed the watch and turned toward the crate where Yugi was, carefully holding the watch above the water as he swam toward the boy. Yami couldn't help the smile that lit up his face as Yugi opened his eyes and shifted to look up at him. The motion caused the crate to tip, dumping Yugi into the water. Yami lunged forward, his fingers brushing against Yugi's before the teen slipped under the water. "Aibou!"

Carelessly, Yami slapped the watch onto the still bucking crate before diving after Yugi. He reached out for the boy, grasping his hand before pulling him up against his body. Yami let them drift to the bottom before pushing off the combination of river mud and steel and propelling them toward the surface. Mere seconds before they broke the surface, Yami caught sight of a fiery shape heading for them. He curled around Yugi, gritting his teeth as he waited for the projectile to hit them. Instead, he heard a faint plop as something fell into the water.

He turned his head, staring as his watch sunk past him. Yami reacted on instinct, darting for the watch and letting go of Yugi at the same time. He cradled the gold circle in his hands for a moment before reaching out for Yugi. The boy had begun to sink back towards the bottom, the distance making Yami have to reach for him. He grunted as he took all of Yugi's weight on one arm, not enough to steady him. Yami turned his head as his watched slipped out of his hand. He lunged for it before stopping.

How long had they been under here? Had Yugi even had the time to get a good breath before he had gone under? Yami ducked his head with a wince before pushing back for the surface.

* * *

The watch drifted gently to the bottom, knocking against the mud and settling in a semi-upright position. The jarring landing opened the watch, the face of the piece exposed to the murky water, but no light pulsed beneath the surface. Chain drifting out behind it like a strange silver water plant, the watch continued to tick. Ever so slowly, water began to fill it, mingling with the cogs on the inside of the watch.

* * *

Yami broke the surface, relieved to hear Yugi gasping for air beside him. At least the boy was alive. He pulled Yugi along behind him, listening with half an ear as the teen coughed up water. His eyes fell on a large plank of wood, large enough to support Yugi. Yami flipped Yugi around so the teen could clamber aboard. He patted Yugi's knee, one hand still holding Yugi's.

Vaguely, he noticed the light burns on the arm he was holding and kissed them, smiling as Yugi jerked with surprise. He gave a weak chuckle, turning the plank so that Yugi would have a straight shot out of the _Baroness_ on the next set of waves. He braced himself, ready to push Yugi away when hands landed on his own.

"What are you doing?"

Yami smiled up at the teen, admiring the way the firelight made the tips of his hair seem even redder. "I'm getting you out of here."

"But…I thought…"

Yami waved the words away, reaching up to grab Yugi's hand again. "It was my fault. I was mad and…I didn't mean any of it." He saw the waves begin to swell out of the corner of his eye. "Now, before you miss your ride."

"Wait! What about you?"

The smile wavered for a moment, but it was too quick to see. "I've got to get my watch."

Yugi weakly hit Yami's shoulder. "You and that watch."

Yami shrugged before partially pulling himself up onto the plank to give Yugi a hug, not caring that he was soaking the teen. He felt Yugi tense up before returning the hug, holding Yami close to him. Yami finally pulled away after whispering, "Take care of yourself. I'll be right after you."

He gave the plank of wood a shove, floating backwards at the motion. Yami coughed as a wave pushed water into his mouth, treading water so he could watch as Yugi rode out the waves, pressing himself close to the makeshift raft as he went through the hole in the ship. Yami punched the air in a short sign of victory. His celebration was cut off as his heart stuttered, making him grasp his shirt over where his heart rested.

The watch! He turned around and dove again.

* * *

Shadi watched as Yami disappeared under the surface again, calmly shifting out of the way as another section of burning wood fell by him. He glanced at the rent in the side of the steamboat, leaning out so he could see the teenager on the plank of wood. His gaze drifted back to where Yami had disappeared under the water, the ripple the only sign remaining. Shadi smirked to himself before bowing. "I will watch over him, my pharaoh."

He turned and began to pick his way out of the burning boat, never hurrying or worried by the fire that raged around him.

* * *

Yami winced against the pain as it rolled through him. As the sound of the fire was smothered by the eerie silence of the underwater world, Yami swore that he could hear the sound of the watch.

_Tick_.

He squinted through the murky water, catching sight of a flash of silver just below him. Yami tried to swim faster, feeling like he was stuck in place. The pain was coming faster now, making it hard to swim.

_Tick._

Yami curled up, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming as his heart skipped again. He forced his eyes open again. The watch was close. Just a few more strokes and he could reach it. Nearly whimpering in pain, Yami uncurled himself and started swimming again.

_Tick._

He could feel his heart beating in time with the ticks, slowing down as they slowed. Yami glared at the watch, hand reaching for it. He could easily push off the bottom after he caught it. And, this time unencumbered by another body, he could probably rise faster.

_Tick._

He reached for the watch, hand annoyingly missing it as another lance of pain went through him. Yami twisted in the water, forcing his eyes back open to guide his hand. He could have shouted for joy as he reached for the watch, fingers brushing over the chain.

There was no next tick. Just silence from the watch and from his heart.

Yami's eyes rolled back in his head as blackness consumed him, fingers tangling in the chain of the now silent watch with its unseeing eye flashing in the dim light from the fire above.

* * *

Ryou pushed his way through the crowd, yelping when he was yanked to the side. His panic calmed when Bakura flashed him a smile, continuing to drag him through the gathered crowd. Ryou had his attention distracted again by the flashing lights of the nearby ambulance, currently being used to treat the various injuries that Noa's thugs seemed to have incurred. He jumped when Bakura finally spoke. "Things have gotten a bit out of hand."

"Then what's the plan to help Yami?"

Bakura jerked him to a stop, spinning around to stare at Ryou before he dropped his gaze. "There is none."

"What?!"

"None at all, Ryou! Unless you want to charge onboard a burning ship, then by my guest!" Bakura stomped angrily away toward the shoreline, leaving Ryou to reach out after him, mouth opening and shutting as he tried to comprehend what Bakura had said. A burning ship?

The _Baroness_! His eyes rose to the soft glow hidden behind the heads of people in the crowd. Forgetting his normal inclination to slip around the side, Ryou barreled through the mass, stumbling a few steps into the water to stare at the burning steamboat. His mouth finally just dropped open as he watched the flames lick at the steamboat turned casino.

"And that's where my grandson is?" Ryou was startled by the apparent calm in Yugi's grandfather. He looked down to see the old man shifting in irritation. "If I were a few decades younger, I would rush in after him."

Ryou managed a weak smile. "Don't worry; he's got Yami in there with him. He'll get your grandson out."

Yugi's grandfather didn't say a word, instead staring off at the burning boat. He seemed to shrink for a moment, resigning himself to a fate that Ryou himself was considering. What if Yami couldn't get them out? What if they were both trapped in there? Or what if they were already dead? Ryou shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, looking anywhere by the burning ship.

His eyes widened as he saw something moving quickly toward the shore. He squinted through the driving rain, watching as the lump approached them. He saw a faint ripple and the flash of lightning off what must have been an eye before the creature stopped. The ripple disappeared, leaving the lump to float. Ryou shook the hair out of his eyes, stepping into the water and raising a hand over his eyes to block the water.

"Bakura!" The thief appeared at his side at the sound of his name, eyes following the pointing finger. "What's that?"

Before Ryou got an answer, Bakura was splashing into the water, kicking off the bottom and swimming for the lump. Ryou took a step back, running into Mahad as the older man came close. Mahad suddenly noticed Yugi's grandfather, slipping off his jacket to offer to the elderly man. "Why don't you wait back by the ambulance? It's probably a bit dryer over there. We'll call for you if anything comes up."

Yugi's grandfather gave a stiff nod and began to trudge back to the crowd, ignoring the offer of the jacket. Mahad shrugged and pulled his jacket back on, jumping as Ryou yelled, "He's got it!"

Bakura was swimming back to shore, pushing the lump before him. Mahad waded into the water, Ryou stumbling off to the side as he tried to identify just what Bakura had gotten. He saw a familiar spiked hair and a white shirt in the next flash of lighting, his stomach churning at the latter item. "It's Yugi!"

The sound of his grandson's name brought Solomon rushing back over, splashing into the water beside Ryou. By then, Mahad was lifting Yugi from the plank of wood and wading toward the shore. Yugi, for the most part, was still in Mahad's arms, looking toward the burning steamboat. The teen finally started to struggle when Mahad got to shore. Ryou ran up in time to hear Yugi asking after Yami.

Mahad gave a laugh, one that sounded forced to his friends. "Go take care of yourself, Yugi. If Yami said he would be following you, he will. Have faith in our Pharaoh."

Yugi jumped to the ground, nearly falling over. In a flash, his grandfather was hugging him close, shocking the young teenager. "Gra...grandpa?"

The old man pulled back with tears shining in his eyes. "Welcome back, Yugi. Welcome home."

Yugi smiled at his grandfather before coughing weakly. Solomon immediately took action, beginning to shoo Yugi in the direction of the ambulance. "Come on; time to get a look at you. And, don't think I've forgotten about you, young man." Ryou froze as the stare was directed at him, finding himself turning slowly around as Solomon continued. "I saw you limping all the way back, not to mention those cuts. Get yourself looked at as soon as you can…And thank you."

Yugi and his grandfather disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ryou to blink in confusion after the pair. Of all the things that the old man could say, he had never expected that. His musing was cut short as Yugi slumped sideways in his grandfather's hold, slipping to the ground as he lost consciousness.

Ryou found himself attempting to run forward and help the younger teen, stopped when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. He was restrained as one of the crowd easily picked up Yugi and followed Solomon back to the ambulance. Ryou slumped in the hold, turning his head to look into Bakura's eyes, wincing at the accusing look. "What did he mean?"

"Noa beat me up earlier in the evening," Ryou waved the worry away, trying to be as flippant as possible, "but that was nothing."

"He…" Bakura turned away suddenly, glaring at the ground. "He should be glad Yami got to him first."

Ryou blinked in confusion before taking it as another way of Bakura saying that he cared. The British teen gave a little shrug to himself before wandering over to lean against Bakura, smirking to himself when the thief seemed to be flustered for a moment. But it was covered up quickly, as Ryou expected.

So he might never get a show of affection from the thief. He was beginning to be fine with that.

He was letting his eyes slide shut when he heard the high pitched sound of metal sliding against metal. Ryou jerked himself away from Bakura, watching the _Baroness _in horror.

The old steamboat had finally given in to the pounding of the waves, rocking from the moorings that kept her in place. She was keeling over to the side, top deck falling in as the wood was eaten away. The _Baroness_ appeared to float on the turbulent water for a moment before she finally began to sink beneath the waves, smoke rising from her as the fire that had consumed her was finally put out.

Ryou looked on, speechless, until the old steamboat had finally vanished from sight. It was only then that he realized that he had grabbed hold of Bakura's hand, holding tightly onto it. He was about to let go when he realized that Bakura was gripping his own hand back equally as tightly. Ryou tried to speak, glancing between Bakura and Mahad, only coming out of his shocked state when Mahad bowed his head.

"No…he can't be…" Mahad looked over at him with pity before trudging back into the crowd. Ryou turned to watch him leave, noticing that the crowd had all turned to look at where the _Baroness_ had once rested, all bowing their heads or removing hats. Ryou felt panic rush through him. He wanted to rush at them and scream. Yami wasn't dead. He couldn't be.

Ryou didn't respond, even when Bakura pulled him into a hug, pressing Ryou against his chest to block out the world. Ryou hadn't even realized that he had been crying until then. And then, he was pressing himself against Bakura's chest as the sobs made his body shake. And Bakura was rubbing his hand up and down Ryou's back as he attempted to calm the teen, but Ryou could also feel the faint shivers that ran through Bakura.

When he felt he was calm enough, Ryou pulled away, moving to stand in the water. He didn't know how long he stood there, staring out to where the _Baroness_ had disappeared. He only came back to himself when Bakura walked up and put his hand on Ryou's shoulder again, speaking in a voice that was uncharacteristically raspy for Bakura. "It's been ten minutes…"

"I know." Ryou allowed himself to be led away from the water, refusing to look back as he leaned into Bakura.

* * *

_/whimpers and ducks/ Don't hurt._

_Review please, every one of those things makes my day. Criticism is welcome.  
_


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** Normally, I would put this at the bottom, but I want the have the full impact of the end. So, I will briefly thank you for all your kind reviews while reading this and encouragement. I loved writing this and am glad that a few of you enjoyed reading it. After all, I aim to please. Yes, there will be a sequel, which is complete and will begin posting after this is done. So, sit back and enjoy, because I love this chapter very much.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, All Dogs go to Heaven or Heaven's Not Enough; they are all owned by their respective owners. Everything in between is mine.

**Warning:** You might need tissues, I nearly cried writing this.

**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen**

The great stone walls still echoed the shouts back at the two occupants of the room, letting the words back down into meaningless sounds before silence dropped over the two. Red eyes glared at each other before one pair finally back down, a chuckle echoing through the room as the larger of the two nodded. "**I will let you see him.**"

* * *

Bakura kicked the door to Ryou's room shut with his foot, carefully balancing the stack of books in his arms. He smiled vaguely down at the titles, shaking his head at the frivolous material that Ryou enjoyed reading. But, who was he to deny Ryou what he wanted? Bakura walked out into the living room, stopping dead in his tracks when he noticed the picture that sat in the far corner on a table.

It was something that he had passed everyday without realizing it, without really seeing or thinking about it. It was a simple picture, taken when none of them had been looking, except for Ryou, who had jumped in at the last minute. Bakura and Marik were in the middle of one of their glaring fits, the disagreement long forgotten between them. Ryou had just landed on a surprised Yami, who was juggling a soda in one hand and a book in the other.

He felt tears pricking in his eyes again and fought them off the only way he knew how. Bakura let out a long string of curses at Yami, wherever he was, that he would just leave them like this. Didn't he know how it would kill Ryou? Didn't he see how hard they had fallen the last time something like this had happened?

Finally, he had to stop himself from going on. It was getting late, and he needed to drop these books off with Ryou. And he had to get out of the house before the silence got to him. What he would do with Ryou in the hospital for a few days, Bakura didn't truly know. He would probably just sleep in alleyways, anywhere but here.

On a whim, he turned and walked back down the hallway, throwing open the door that led to Yami's room. The sheets and pillows were still thrown all over the place, one pillow having even found its way to the floor. Per usual, clothes were just thrown randomly into the closet. The only thing that was placed neatly was the fake crown, which rested on the desk.

Without truly knowing what he was doing, Bakura walked over to pick up the crown, turning it in the dim light and running his fingers over the swept back edges. He remembered teasing Yami about this so many times, calling it so many names. And yet, Yami had still kept it. Like Yami had, eventually, kept Bakura.

Bakura shook himself, like the sentimentality that he was experiencing would disappear as well. He turned and quickly walked out of the room, still carrying the crown. The plastic crown was balanced on the pile of books, which he swept back into his arms. Bakura was ready to leave when he caught sight of the picture again. He tipped his head to the side, a wavering smile on his face.

"I'll take care of him, Pharaoh. Don't worry about that." Bakura shook his head ruefully and walked up the stairs, slamming the door behind him as he awkwardly juggled the books in his arms. It must have just been his exhaustion, because he thought he saw the look of surprise in Yami's face change to a smile before he had left the house.

* * *

Ryou took the offered stack of books, surprised when Bakura showed him the crown. He dropped the books to the bed, wincing as the movement disturbed his aching muscles. He reached out for it, expecting Bakura to yank it away. Instead, the thief just dropped it into his hands. Ryou twisted the crown around in his hands, stopping when he spotted the teardrop shaped chip in the front.

Mutely, he pointed it out to Bakura, who just nodded like that was the answer to everything before sitting down on the bed beside him. Ryou leaned onto Bakura, surprised again when the thief pulled him closer to rest more comfortably on his shoulder. They remained in companionable silence like that for a while, Bakura staring at the wall and Ryou staring at the crown; both trying their hardest not to think at all.

"Are you going to come back?" Ryou startled at the sudden intrusion on their silence. He tipped his head to he could see Bakura. The russet eyes of the thief flickered in his direction for a moment before moving back to engage the wall again. "Because I was sure that you would be swept up with Yugi and taken to live with his grandfather."

"I…I just can't live here," Ryou admitted, "I've never been at home here. Sure I might pop in for a visit or two…because I feel like I need to."

Bakura scoffed. Ryou sat up, amazed as his own daring, as he pulled Bakura's head to look in the thief's eyes. "I…I'm the reason that this all happened."

"Ryou…"

"No. If I had just been sure that Yugi wasn't in the room, or I had taken Yami somewhere else…or even if I had been stronger and told Yami on no uncertain terms were we going to stay here in the first place, everything would be fine. But, it didn't turn out that way." Ryou dropped his gaze to the crown, letting go of Bakura's face. "I feel that I owe Yugi another chance because of everything."

"Alright." Bakura stood up, fidgeting. "Well, I'll be there when you come back home. But I can't stay there now."

Ryou nodded. "Too many ghosts."

"Yeah." It came out more as a sigh, directed more at himself than Ryou. Bakura gave a quick shrug before turning to leave, stopping when Ryou called out to him.

"This doesn't belong to me." Ryou held out the crown, eyes begging Bakura to take it. When the thief took a step back, Ryou shifted to the edge of the bed, threatening to stand up. "I can't keep it because…it's just too much. And, it should be Yugi's."

"What?"

"Yami always jokes...joked that Yugi would probably be the next King of Games. After all, it was hard enough for Yami to beat him when they were both trying their hardest." Ryou bit his lip and looked away from the painted plastic. "So, Yugi should have it, because I can't."

He relaxed when he felt the plastic being lifted from his hands. Ryou flashed Bakura a quick smile before yawning and sliding back on his bed. He carelessly piled the books on his bedside table, pulling the covers up to settle under them. He had almost convinced himself that the hand that brushed over his face was imaginary, when Bakura whispered, "Good night," right beside his ear.

Ryou sighed and snuggled deeper into his covers, relaxing as the world seemed to start to piece itself back together again. His eyes cracked open to watch the moonlight dancing on the floor, the faint flutter of curtains a background noise. He glanced over at Yugi, wincing slightly before turning over and shutting his eyes, too tired to even shut the window.

* * *

A brisk breeze blew into the hospital room that held two boys; white curtains fluttering in as a few leaves picked up by the breeze tumbled in, chasing themselves around the floor through patterns of moonlight. Faintly, on the horizon came a threatening red glow, the shape reforming itself as something growled from within the glow.

Slowly, from the shadows within the red light, a demon formed itself; the glow fragmenting into red mist that swirled around the front of the hospital. It shook the clinging bits of mist off itself before stretching its wings, the growl dissipating into a cold hiss.

Tendrils of the crimson mist crawled their way up the side of the hospital, tumbling into the open window and streaming across the floor to curl around the feet of the two beds, climbing the bars at the end of the beds like plants. Still more mist formed outside the window before moving through, some of the earlier tendrils returning to join the column.

As the column moved into the room, the mist shifted closer together, losing its bright red color. A form could be made out through the twisting tendrils, shaping itself into the form of a human as it strode from the windows.

Color drenched the figure three steps into the room; translucent black boots, jeans and shirt coming into view. A faded blue jacket was slung over one shoulder of the figure, the lighter underside a stark change from the darker colors of the rest of the ensemble. Black hair tipped with red rose from the figure's head to form spikes, a few streaks of blonde interrupting the black. Blonde bangs fell across tanned skin and into red eyes that peered around the room. The hand that wasn't holding the jacket clenched at the figure's side before the person walked further into the room.

As the figure moved, it became more solid, more wisps of red mist curling into the figure to give this appearance. But the figure noticed none of this, constantly moving toward the bed that held the teenager that was almost a carbon copy of itself. The figure stopped, staring down at the teenager, one hand reaching out to hover over the bed.

The tableau held for a moment, a deceptively solid figure with a hand stretched over its doppelganger. It was only a few seconds before it was broken, the figure falling to his knees beside the bed and dropping the jacket. It examined the teenager from the closer range, carefully picking up the hand that rested outside the sheets and holding it in its own. The figure turned the hand carefully over, observing the bandage that was wrapped around the teenager's wrist.

Trembling, the figure flipped the hand back over, twining its fingers with the teenager's and rubbing its thumb along the back of the teenager's hand. It leaned forward so its upper body was resting against the bed, the free hand sweeping bangs out of the teenager's face. The hand pulled away, trembling, before it fell back to the figure's side, its partner still holding the teenager's hand. The figure looked away for a moment, shaking as it tried to get itself back under control. When it looked back at the sleeping teenager, there were tears in its eyes.

"I'm sorry, aibou, so sorry."

* * *

Outside the hospital, the creature glared into the window, red eyes blinking angrily. It pulled back, fire dancing around its claws before it thought better. The demon crossed its arms with a low growl. "**Atemu.**"

It kept its glare fixed on the figure in the room, still bent over the teenage boy. His part of the bargain had been taken care of. Atemu had gotten to see that brat of his one more time. Now, he had to honor his part of the deal. They would be returning…now.

The demon was so focused on its charge that it did not notice the golden ball of light hovering close by. When it did, the demon merely gave it a cursory glance before turning to look back into the hospital room. It had nothing to do with him. After all, they were the ones who had cast Atemu out.

It did perk up when the golden light got closer, searing its black skin. The demon pulled away with a hiss, warning the light to stay away from what it owned. Instead of heeding the warning, the light got closer and brighter. The demon snarled, spreading its wings threateningly before the light gave a pulse, cracking the demon's form and sending it crumbling into the shadows.

The light hovered over its victory for a while before maneuvering into the hospital room, giving a soft glow to everything.

* * *

"Atemu." The figure by the teenager's bed flinched at the voice. He remembered that voice well, in both pity and anger. He gave the light a quick look before he turned back to Yugi, preferring to not acknowledge it.

"Atemu." It was calling out his name in an almost musical way, making him flinch away. Even though it had been a short time, he had become accustomed to screams of pain. This light, this kindness was almost too much. The light bobbed closer, soft rays brushing against him. "Atemu, you can come home now."

Yami's head jerked up at the words, his eyes widening as they turned to stare at the golden ball of light. His mouth opened and shut as he attempted to get words out. Finally, he was able to speak, pulling slightly away from the boy in the bed. "But you said-"

The ball gave a slight shiver, more like the shake of a nonexistent head before it spoke again. "Atemu, you gave your life for him. Come home."

He stiffened, looking back at the teenager. "But what about Yugi?"

"Say good-bye, Atemu."

He slumped as the light drifted further away, now hovering between the window and the bed. Yami dropped his head into the one hand that was not holding Yugi's. There was no escape this time, no way out. The watch was gone, far from his reach. And there was no way for him to stay here. There was no way for him to stay here with Yugi. He had broken his promise.

Yami pulled his head up, tears trickling down his cheeks before he wiped them away. He leaned forward, almost beginning to speak, but at the last minute looking away. How did you begin to say good-bye? He sat back on his heels, just watching Yugi. His throat constricted and he was forced to look away before the tears came back.

"Yami?" He jumped at the voice, plastering a fake smile on his face before he looked up at Yugi. The false smile was quickly transformed into a real one as Yugi blinked at sat up, his violet eyes registering confusion as he took in Yami kneeling by his bed side.

"Hey, aibou." Yami reached out to ruffle his hair, chuckling as Yugi scooted away, a bright smile lighting up the younger teen's face. "How are you feeling?"

The question got a grimace. Yami moved closer, still clinging to Yugi's hand like a lifeline. Yugi gave the captured hand a playful tug before gesturing with his other hand. "As good as I could be, I guess. Minor burns and walking pneumonia. They say they can't keep me here for long because they're worried I might catch something else. But I'm allowed to go home and be miserable."

"Well, at least you're going home."

"How about you?" Yugi poked him gently in the arm, the smile never leaving his face. "You don't have your watch. Did you get it?"

"Of course." Yami wavered a bit, his eyes closing in a blink a second longer than they needed to. "I've just put it somewhere safe for a bit. And, well…I've come to say good-bye."

"But," Yugi pulled Yami halfway onto the bed, the relaxed grip on his hand suddenly tightening, "I'm sure Grandpa would let you visit. He has to, because you saved me and you're my…friend."

"I'm sure he would, Yugi. But I have some things to sort out first." Yugi's smile was gone. Yami sat up, wincing when his hand fell from Yugi's. He looked down his abandoned hand, watching as it twitched, searching for the warmth it had once held.

"I want you to do something for me." He heard himself saying the words, watching the covers as Yugi shifted. "Keep playing those games. I'll demand a rematch when I get back."

Yugi laughed and pulled him into another hug, not noticing that Yami couldn't look at him. In the end, he hadn't been able to do it, hadn't been able to tell Yugi what really happened and where he was really going. Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi, pulling the teenager into a tighter hug. He didn't want to let go, but he could feel the brushing of the light across his back.

Carefully, Yami extracted himself from the hug, placating Yugi with an "I'll be right back" before walking over to where Ryou slept. He looked at the teen he considered his little brother before pulling the covers more securely over him. Yami smiled at the nonsensical mutter that Ryou gave before patting his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ryou…about all of this."

He struggled to find something else to say, finding everything else inadequate. "I love you, little brother. You take care of Bakura, okay. Keep that thief in line."

Yami smiled at the muttered assent before walking back over to Yugi, who had watched the exchange. Yami settled himself on the bed, closing his eyes as Yugi reached for his hand again. "I'll miss you, Yami."

"Me too, aibou. Who else will I play games with? The rest of the world is no challenge."

Yami laughed as Yugi swatted at him with a giggle. "Arrogant."

"As I deserve to be."

The laughter died as Yugi looked down at his covers, fiddling with them one handed. Yami reached up to turn his head towards him, the hand remaining on Yugi's cheek for a moment longer than it should have. He was about to pull away when Yugi placed his free hand on it, keeping it in place. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Sure, aibou." His voice cracked over the familiar nickname. Yami took a deep breath, forcing himself onward. It didn't matter if Yugi knew he was lying or not, he had to keep going or break into tears himself. "You know, good-byes aren't forever."

Yugi gave a sleepy smile, turning his head to nuzzle the palm of Yami's hand. The action surprised Yami, almost making him pull away. But he was caught and held by Yugi's eyes as the boy spoke again. "I love you."

Yami froze, unable to react even as Yugi pulled him down into a kiss. It was completely chaste, just a peck on the lips, but it meant more to Yami than anything in the world. He pulled away when Yugi released him, brushing Yugi's bangs out of his eyes with a faint smile. He stayed close to Yugi until the teenager had fallen asleep.

Then he moved, pulling Yugi into a hug before turning his head and capturing Yugi's lips again. The kiss was another quick one, ending with Yami pulling back far enough so he could rest his forehead against Yugi's.

"I love you too, aibou." The words were muttered and Yugi gave a happy little hum. Yami pulled Yugi tightly against him, rocking the teen slightly before letting go. He stood up, settling the covers around Yugi. Yami noticed the golden crown that sat on Yugi's beside table, smirking as he picked it up.

He ran his fingers over it, trailing off the swept back sides before lifting the crown up to look at in the golden light that was spilling into the room. Yami looked back at Yugi before placing the crown in his hands, kissing the back of one as he pulled away. "Good-bye, Yugi Mutou, King of Games."

Yami began backing away, picking up his discarded jacket and draping it around his shoulders like a cape. He finally turned around when he passed the end of Yugi's bed, his body losing its solidity and he faced the window. The breeze picked up as he stepped toward the window, bathed in golden light that passed partially through him.

He paused halfway between the bed and window, pausing to look over his shoulder at the two sleeping boys. A pulse from the light waiting for him brought his attention back. He looked up at the light, watching as it pulsed gently. "Atemu, come home."

Yami nodded, turning his head away as the golden ball of light extended into a bright beam that took up the whole window before moving inside to create a wall of light. He took a few backward steps with his arm in front of his eyes as the golden glow intensified to white.

When he had adjusted to the bright source of light, he turned back to look at the two boys, raising his hand in farewell. "Little brother…aibou…"

Yami shook his head and began to walk forward, the breeze from the window causing his coat to flutter out behind him, sometimes merging with the hospital curtains as he became translucent before stepping into the white light and disappearing in its bright glow.

* * *

The occupants of the room, if they had been awake, would have been treated with a short glimpse of a plain edged in clouds that trailed off into a field of papyrus. The faint scent of lotus and honey drifted through the room, causing both teens to smile in their sleep. From the inside of the light, Yami strode into the field, coat still billowing in the invisible breeze before the light disappeared, leaving Yugi and Ryou to sleep in the cool darkness of the night.

END


End file.
